


UNITED STATES OP AMERICA 


















































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AN ADDRESS, 


EMBRACING THE 

. EARLY HISTORY OF DELAWARE, 

THE 

> 

SETTLEMENT OF ITS BOUNDARIES, 

« 

AND OF THE 

©@ST@IEIS®A®IE@Kr a 

WITH ALL THE CHURCHES SINCE ORGANIZED 
ON ITS ORIGINAL TERRITORY: 

DELIVERED IN DRAWYERS CHURCH, DEL., MAY 10 , 1842 , 

BEING ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE YEARS SINCE THE SITE OF THE 
PRESENT HOUSE OF WORSHIP WAS PURCHASED. 

< BY REV. GEORGE FOOT. 

» ” 

* 1 
/ 



PHILADELPHIA: 4 

v\» . 

PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF THE CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. 

1842 . 

* 9 

iH 


\ * 



TO THE MEMBERS 


OP 

THE DRAWYERS CONGREGATION, 

THIS HISTORICAL ADDRESS NOW PUBLISHED, 


AT THEIR REQUEST, 

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 


BY THEIR 

> PASTOR. 















ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 


We are assembled to-day on a spot long since hallowed 
by the tears and prayers and affections of generations which 
are now sleeping with the dead. We are surrounded by 
the graves of those who once worshipped on this site and 
reared this edifice. Very few. remain among the living, 
who can remember the time when this sanctuary was built. 
This day completes one hundred and thirty-one years, 
since this spot was chosen as the site of the house of God. 
On the J Oth of May, 1711, Isaac Vigorue, Hans Hanson, 
Andrew Peterson, and Francis King purchased of John 
Peterson one acre of ground for this purpose. During the 
same year, a house of worship was erected on this spot.— 
Of the men who engaged in this work, we know little ex¬ 
cept the names of those already mentioned, who purchased 
this soil and who also acted as a building committee. These 
fathers, where are they ? Not one of the men who reared 
the former house; not one of those who ministered at its 
altar and within its walls; and not one of all who wor¬ 
shipped there, survives. The very materials of that house 
of God are mouldered back to dust. Unfortunately for 
their successors, no rpcord of their transactions prior to 
1732 remains, except a solitary fact which was copied 
from the deed of this property and incorporated in the sub¬ 
scription for the erection of Jhis house. It is a mournful 
reflection that the memory and the very names of most of 
the early worshippers on this spot have perished. 



4 


Whatever of wealth or of honor they gained : whatever 
of piety and devotedness they exhibited, they have all been 
forgotten; and the clods once heaped over their graves, no 
longer mark the spot where their ashes repose. How 
many warnings and appeals have been uttered on this spot! 
How vast the influence of truth on the minds of the genera¬ 
tions which have successively worshipped here! How 
many immortal spirits have gone hence to the bar of God 
to receive their final doom ! O! could the departed speak, 
what scenes of seraphic joy, and of keen and hopeless de¬ 
spair would the former worshippers on this spot disclose ? 
—But the tomb from which no message ever comes, holds 
them all in perpetual silence till the day of doom shall ar¬ 
rive. How solemn the thought, that when an equal period 
of time shall have passed away, others will hold our pos¬ 
sessions and succeed to our places in society, and in the 
sanctuary; while death will feed on us, the clods will cover 
us, and the very names of many of us will be unknown ex¬ 
cept in the records of eternity! 

To this place where your fathers worshipped, will many 
of you look back as the spot where truth, pointed by the 
Spirit of the Eternal, reached your heart and led you to 
God, and hope, and heaven ; or where the Saviour’s 
call was unheeded, and salvation spurned, and your ruin 
sealed. 

But our object on the present occasion is to give you 
an outline of the history of this region, and especially of 
this congregation. You will bear it in mind that it is no 
easy task to gather up history where but few and imperfect 
records exist. If there are imperfections in these details, 
you will remember that it is the almost inevitable result at¬ 
tending any investigations where so few materials remain. 

The earliest permanent settlement in Delaware seems to 


have been made by the Swedes, in 1637. Christina, Queen 
of Sweden, formed the plan, and sent Peter Menewe as 
commander of the colony, in the ship “ Key of Calmary This 
colony purchased the lands on the west side of the Dela¬ 
ware, from Cape Henlopen, called by them “Paradise 
Point,” to the Falls of Sanchickan, or Trenton. 

Prior to this date, the Dutch were in possession of the 
lands on the eastern side of the river. Menewe soon died, 
and Peter Hollendare succeeded him. The Swedes set¬ 
tled on the Christina creek, where they built a fort, and 
called both the creek and fort after the name of their queen. 
In 1638 Kieft, the Dutch governor, remonstrated against 
the building of the fort. In 1642 John Printz was sent 
from Sweden, in the ship Fame, as governor of the colony. 
Two other ships of war accompanied him, the Swan and 
the Charitas. With, the emigrants, at this period, came the 
Rev. John Campanius as chaplain of the colony. Among 
other things, Printz was instructed to persuade the Dutch 
who had settled under the crown of Sweden, to remove 
farther down from the vicinity of Fort Christina; to con¬ 
firm the treaty with the Indians for the lands lying on the 
west side of the river, from Cape Henlopen to the Falls of 
Trenton. The agents of Queen Christina had purchased 
the lands from Cape May to Raccoon creek, nearly oppo¬ 
site Marcus Hook, and the English had settled on Fer- 
ken’s creek, (now S alem .) Printz was directed to treat 
these English kindly, and in order to unite them with the 
Swedes, was directed, if they were willing, to receive them 
under the Swedish government. This colony at Salem, 
settled on lands purchased by the New Haven company, in 
Connecticut, and was originally composed of fifty families 
who removed from that place to Salem in 1640, “for the 
purpose of establishing trading houses and gathering churches 
1 * 


6 


in Gospel order and purity,” and in close combination with 
the New Haven Colony in all their fundamental articles, and 
under the jurisdiction of that colony. After much annoy¬ 
ance from the Dutch, the New England settlements on the 
Delaware were taken under the protection of the Legisla¬ 
ture of the United New England Colonies, and in 1664 the 
forces of Massachusetts and: Connecticut assisted Sir Rob¬ 
ert Carr in subduing the Dutch on the Delaware. Gov. 
Printz resided at Tinnicum, (then called Tenackongh, and 
also Tutaenungh) and built a fort on the shore which he 
called New Gottenburg. Here a church built of wood was 
consecrated by Campanus, September 4th, 1646. The 
Dutch on the east side of the river interfering with the 
trade of the Swedes, they erected a fort at Elsingborough, 
which was called Helsingborough. This fort was called 
Myggenborg, or Mosquito Fort, because the Swedes w r ere 
compelled to abandon it on account of the annoyance of the 
Mosquitoes. After the erection of this fort, the Dutch 
abandoned the fort which they had erected opposite Tinni¬ 
cum, called Fort Nassau, and in 1651 took possession of 
New Castle, which the Swedes had called Sandhuken , and 
erected Fort Cassimir, the remains of which are still near 
the bank of the river, a short distance from the town. In 
1652 Gov. Printz returned to Sweden. Prior to that date 
John Claudius Rising had arrived, who afterwards became 
governor of the colony. The Dutch continually claimed 
the soil of Delaware, and in 1646 William Kieft and his 
council granted to Abraham Planck, Simon Root, Jan 
Andriesson, and Peter Harmenson, tw T o hundred acres of 
land each, on South river, near “ Bird Island,” (probably 
Reedy Island,) on condition of their settling on said 
lands within one year. They also promised them more 
lands, provided they should want them, on condition that 


7 


they should build houses and reside on the lands. But if 
they did not reside on them, their title was to be forfeited. 

In 1654 the Swedes “took Fort Cassimir by storm, and 
expelled the Dutch.” They improved the fort and called 
it “ Trinety Fort.” During the same year, however, Peter 
Stuyvesant, Governor of New York,,sailed for Delaware with 
seven ships and 600 or 700 men, subdued all the Swedish 
forts, laid waste their country, issued his proclamation per¬ 
mitting those to remain who were willing to submit to the 
Dutch government and carried the remainder to New York. 
Thus ended the Swedish government in Delaware. 

Johan Paul Jaquet was the first Governor of Delaware 
under the Dutch. He was succeeded by Peter Alricks. 
When Delaware was conquered by Sir Robert Carr, the 
estate of Peter Alricks was confiscated, and granted to Wil¬ 
liam Tom. Alricks was the ancestor of all the families of 
the same name in this vicinity, some of which have been 
connected with this congregation during nearly the whole 
period of its existence.. 

The grant of Charles II. to his brother the Duke of York 
and Albany, made in 1664, conveyed to him all lands from 
the west side of Connecticut River, to the East side of Del¬ 
aware Bay. In September 1664, Sir Robert Carr arrived 
in Delaware Bay, and took possession of all the Dutch forts, 
and reduced their entire possessions to subjection to the 
crown of England. Delaware seems to have been united 
with the lands granted by the crown to the Duke of York, 
and lying between the Connecticut and the East side of 
the Delaware River, by conquest. All the inhabitants were 
confirmed in their possessions and privileges on condition of 
their taking the oath of allegiance to the King, and of fidelity 
to his government. 

On the 17th of May, 1667, the town of New Castle was 


s 


incorporated. The English laws were established in the 
town and on both sides of the Delaware, and a Sheriff, to be 
chosen annually, was appointed for the corporation and 

RIVER. 

On the 29th June, 1674, the Duke of York obtained a 
new patent from, the King,, for the lands granted him in 
1664. This patent made the Eastern shore of the Dela¬ 
ware his Western boundary. Two days after, he appointed 
Sir Edmond Andross governor of his territories, which were 
surrendered to him by the Dutch. Sir Edmond Andross 
purchased in 4665 from the Indians a tract of land extend¬ 
ing along the river, about eight or nine miles below the falls 
at Trenton, and as far above, with all the islands in the 
Delaware. 

In 1664, the Duke of York granted to Lord Berkley and 
Sir George Carteret, the Province of New Jersey, bounded 
on the west by the Delaware Bay. Thus it appears that in 
all grants from the crown to the Duke of York, and from 
the Duke of York to Berkley and Carteret, and in the pur¬ 
chase of lands above Philadelphia from the Indians, by An¬ 
dross, and also in establishing the office of Sheriff of New 
Castle county, the Eastern shore of the Delaware was made 
the line of Delaware in all cases. 

Prior to the arrival of Penn in 1682, the general court at 
New Castle ordered the Sheriff to arrest John Fenwick, who 
resided at Salem, and claimed to be the proprietor of one half 
of the Province of New Jersey, and to bring him before the 
court. 

There is a record of a trial at New Castle, in which 
Robert Hutchinson is appellant, vs. Thomas Smith, James 
Pierce, William Johnson, and William Wayghtman, Defend¬ 
ants. 

The case involved a claim to lands lying on Cohanzy 


9 


creek. It was tried in the court at New Salem, (N. J.) 
Oct. 11th, 1680, and was brought by appeal to the General 
Court at New Castle. The court at New Castle reversed 
the decision of the court at New Salem, Nov. 2d, 1680. 
This decision was carried by appeal to the Court of Assizes, 
in New York, in October following. (Transcribed Records, 
Book A., p. 176.) Thus the fact is established that the 
territory, and even the court at Salem was under the juris¬ 
diction of New Castle. In 1682 William Penn arrived and 
took possession of Delaware on the 28th of October. He 
had two deeds from the Duke of York: the one conveyed 
to him the town of New Castle, and all the “ Land lying 
within, the compasse or circle of twelve myles about ye same, 
with all Islands, ye river and soyle thereof.” Another deed 
conveyed to him all the lands lying south of said circle to 
u Cape Inlopen,” composing the two counties of St. Jones 
and Deale, or Whooreskill. The first of these deeds in¬ 
cluded Salem. 

Edmund Cantwell was the first Sheriff of New Castle 
county, under the government of William Penn. He was 
also high Sheriff under Sir Edmond Andross in 1676; and 
in 1717 Rowland Fitzgerald was the high Sheriff of this 
county. The descendants of Fitzgerald resided in Tho¬ 
roughfare Neck. 

In 1659, the Governor and council of Maryland, sent 
Col. Nathaniel Utie, to claim in behalf of Lord Baltimore, 
the lands on the Delaware. In answer to this demand, 
Stuyvesant, Governor of New York, commissioned Augus¬ 
tine Herman and Resolved Waldron as his ambassadors to 
the Government of Maryland to remonstrate against this 
claim. The Dutch claimed Delaware on the ground that 
prior to 1623 they had made a settlement called the Hoore 
Kill, which was destroyed by the Indians: and that in 1623 


10 


they had built Fort Nassau, fifteen leagues higher up the 
river, and on the Eastern Shore, and that many other 
places had been settled by the Dutch, and Dutch Swedes; 
and that they had purchased the lands from the Indians. 

During the attempt of these ambassadors at negociation, 
the Governor and council of Maryland presented them a copy 
of Lord Baltimore’s patent. The ambassadors very shrewdly 
alledged that His Royal Majesty of England had granted to 
Lord Baltimore lands “ which had not been seated and 
taken up before, only inhabited by a certain barbarous peo¬ 
ple, the Indians.” 

But as the South River, called Nassau, and by the Eng¬ 
lish Delaware, had been taken up and appropriated long be¬ 
fore by virtue of a commission from the High and Mighty 
States General of the United Provinces, and settled, not by 
Indians, but by a Christian people, that therefore the grant 
of Lord Baltimore could have no reference to Delaware. 
The arrival of Sir Robert Carr in 1664, and the surrender 
of Delaware to the forces under his command, put this 
claim of Lord Baltimore at rest until the arrival of William 
Penn. Then the claim was renewed. The Duke of York 
was now James II., King of England, and this claim was 
referred to a committee on Plantations. In November, 
1685, this committee reported that the land granted to Lord 
Baltimore was such as was inhabited by savages , but that 
the tract now claimed by him had been j)lanted by Christians 
antecedent to this grant. But, to avoid all difficulties on the 
subject, they decided that the peninsula should be divided 
into two equal parts, by a line drawn from the latitude of 
Cape Henlopen to the fortieth degree of north latitude. 

To carry out this decision, commissioners were appointed 
to form, a map of the country, which map was sent to Eng¬ 
land, and made the basis of the agreement in 1732.. By 


11 


this agreement, the centre of the town of New Castle was to 
be ascertained, and a circle of twelve miles drawn around 
it. A due East and West line was to be drawn from Cape 
Henlopen to the Chesapeake. From a point in that line 
equidistant from the two Bays, a line was to be drawn north¬ 
ward till it should so touch the western point in the circle of 
twelve miles as to become a tangent to it. From the point 
of tangency a line was to be drawn due north to a point 
within fifteen English miles of the most southerly part of the 
city of Philadelphia. This agreement was not carried into 
effect, and Lord Baltimore petitioned George II. to make to 
him a new grant to lands on the Delaware. 

In 1735 the whole subject was brought by the Penns be¬ 
fore the court of Chancery ; and in 1750, Lord Hardwick 
decided that the agreement of 1732 should be carried into 
effect. The question was raised whether the circle should 
be a radius of twelve miles, or a Periphery of twelve miles. 
The chancellor decided that it should be a Radius of twelve 
miles, and its centre the centre of the town of New Castle. 
Other difficulties arose. In 1751 the chancellor decreed 
that the radii of the circle should be measured by horizon¬ 
tal, and not by superficial lines. Shortly after, Lord Balti¬ 
more died, leaving his son Frederick a minor. This occa¬ 
sioned a further delay until 1760, when the agreement was 
signed by him, and Thomas and Richard Penn, and com¬ 
missioners were appointed who were directed to run the 
boundery lines. Several fruitless attempts to run a line from 
the given point so as to form a tangent to the circle were made. 
The commissioners finally employed Mason and Dixon, who 
had just returned from the Cape of Good Hope, where they 
had been to observe the transit of Venus. They succeeded 
in establishing the line between Delaware and Maryland, 
which has since been called Mason and Dixon’s line. 


12 


On the 9th of November, 1768, the commissioners ratified 
their map and plan of surveys and divisional lines, embracing, 
according to the decree of Lord Hardwick the chancellor, 
all the articles of agreement made in 1732. Thus the claim 
of Penn to a circle of twelve miles, measured by horizontal 
lines, was confirmed by the commissioners under a decision 
of the court of Chancery in England in 1768, only eight 
years before the American Revolution. (See Landholder’s 
Assistant, p. 166, 172.) 

The jurisdiction of the Pea Patch Island, then, was 
given to Delaware, by decision of the chancellor of England, 
in 1750, and ratified by the final settlement of the Boundary 
of Delaware by commissioners in 1768. The act of the 
Legislature of Delaware passed in 1813, which ceded that 
island to the United States, provides “ that all processes, 
both civil and criminal, issuing under the authority of this 
state, may be executed and served within the place.” (Di¬ 
gest, p. 673.) In all past time the Sheriff of New Castle 
county has served his processes to tide-water mark on the 
New Jersey shore. Moreover, it can be proved that the 
tenant at will of the present claimant of that Island, under 
the decision of the U. S. District Court, votes in Delaware. 

In 1837 the Legislature of Delaware requested her sena¬ 
tors and representatives in congress to recommend a retro¬ 
cession of that Island to Delaware, or to adopt such other 
measures as should enable Delaware to maintain her just 
right and title to said territory. Any decision which puts 
that Island within the jurisdiction of another state unsettles 
all the boundaries and jurisdiction of Delaware. She has 
not, nor has she ever had any other boundary than that 
which made the Pea Patch a part of her territory. 

The settlement within the bounds of this congregation be¬ 
gan at an early period. 


13 


In 1671, Francis Lovelace who was then Governor of all 
the territories of the Duke of York, granted a patent for 
300 acres of upland, called 11 High Hook,” and some adjacent 
marsh to Jan Sieriks. This farm is now in the possession 
of Jacob Vandegrift, Jr. 

In 1671, a patent was granted to Abraham Coffin, for 
400 acres of land called u Mountain JVec/c,” and the annual 
quit rent was four bushels of winter wheat. In 1686 this 
tract w T as resurveyed to Johannes De Haes and Ephraim Her¬ 
man. De Haes subsequently became the sole owner, and 
willed it to his son, Roelef De Haes, in 1694. Johannes 
De Hoaef, or De Haes, was a member of the first Legisla¬ 
ture of Pennsylvania, held under William Penn in 1683. 
He was a distinguished man and a native of France. He 
was a maternal ancestor of the Janvier family. Roelef, his 
son, was a member of the first legislative assembly in Dela¬ 
ware, after the Legislature for the territories was established 
in 1704. He was an elder in Presbytery (probably from New 
Castle,) in 1713. We here present before you an original 
likeness of De Haes which has been preserved. He was 
evidently, as his costume shows, either a knight or a military 
officer of high rank. 

This is the farm afterwards owned by Thomas Noxen, the 
founder of Noxenton Mills. On this farm Brigadier Gen¬ 
eral Caesar Rodney encamped for a season with his corps of 
Delaware militia at the period when Gen. Howe landed at 
the head of the Elk River. One division of Howe’s army, 
under the command of Baron Kniphausen, passed through 
the present boundaries of this congregation, and encamped 
on the farm, now owned by Henry Cazier, on Bohemia 
Manor. Thomas Noxen belonged to St. Ann’s congrega¬ 
tion, and died in 1743. I here present to you a mourning 
ring bequeathed by him to one of the members of his family, 
2 


14 


and also a ring presented by him to his only daughter, Mrs. 
Frisbie. This Noxen farm was owned by John and Henry 
Vanleuvinigh in 1730. Henry Vanleuvinigh is called Van- 
leud on the records of this congregation in 1746. The farm 
on the opposite side of the Apoquinimy also, on which Schee 
Merritt now resides, was owned by Noxen, and was called 
“ Walnut Landing.” There was a wharf on that farm, the 
remains of which are still visible. 

Below this, and on the opposite side of the creek was 
another landing called Whittit’s landing, and owned by Wil¬ 
liam Whittit, who was a trustee of this congregation in 1754. 
On A. Snow Naudain’s farm, and directly in the rear of his 
house, was another landing. There was another landing at 
Noxenton, which is probably the landing anciently called 
“ High Landing.” 

Cantwell’s Bridge, on the same creek, derived its name 
from the fact that the General Court granted to Richard 
Cantwell authority to establish a toll bridge at that place in 
1731. Near it resided Abraham Martin, Treasurer of this 
congregation in 1731 : and the Legislature allowed Cant¬ 
well to take one acre of land from Martin at a fair valuation, 
as the site of a toll-house. 

In 1675 Richard Seays, (called See on our records,) sur¬ 
veyed the Bennet Farm, north of Major Vandegrift’s house. 
This farm has been owned by the Alricks, the Andersons, 
Taylor, and Vandyke, and by Dr. David Stewart. The 
Seays were Huguenots. 

The Gettons were also French, and owned the farm on 
which Mr. McMullen now resides, near Hickory Grove. 

In 1676 Garret Otto surveyed 272 acres north of Draw- 
yers creek, below the farm of Dr. Euler. This farm is 
now owned by William Polk. 

In 1684 Amos Nicholas surveyed 300 acres. A part 


15 


of this farm is now owned by James Wilson, and was once 
owned by Thomas Hyatt, an Elder, and afterwards by 
Peter Hyatt, a member of this congregation. 

In 1676 George Ashton surveyed a part of the farm on 
which Major Vandegrift now resides, with all the lands lying 
east as far as the western line of the farm belonging to John 
Dilworth, Esq., and extending north to Doctor’s Swamp. 

In 1678 Adam Peterson surveyed 200 acres of land, the 
tract on which Middletown now stands, the original plat and 
title to which I here present before you ; and in 1682 Hans 
Hanson Miller (otherwise known as Hans Hanson) surveyed 
500 acres adjoining Adam Peterson. We are also in pos¬ 
session of this plat and survey. 1678 then, was the earliest 
purchase of lands at Middletown. 

In 1682 the court granted to Edmund Cantwell and Cas¬ 
per Herman, 200 acres of land lying on each side of Draw- 
yers Creek, “for the use of a water-mill,* which the said 
Cantwell and Herman do intend to erect on the said creek 
for the publick good of the inhabitants.” (Records, Book 
A., p. 190.) 

In 1686 John Taylor sold to Thomas Snowding of Apo- 
quiniiny, 170 acres of land on the north side of Second 
Drawyers Creek, lying between Taylor’s Branch and Snow- 
ding’s Branch. This farm was west of the farm of Hon. 
Louis McLane. 

The Briscoe family was at New Castle in 1682. 

In 1685 Daniel Smith surveyed the farm now owned by 
Abraham Vandegrift, called Strawberry Hill. 

In 1686 Edward Green surveyed 2000 acres, called 
Green’s Forest. A part of this farm was afterwards owned 
by James Anderson, a Trustee of this congregation in 1754 ; 
and has descended to James Houston his grandson, who is 


Probably this was Cannon’s Mill. 


16 


now a Trustee;; Charles Haughey now owns a part of this 
tract, and probably Mount Pleasant was a part of it. 

I have given you these dates of original surveys, that you 
may see that the field of this congregation began to be set¬ 
tled about the year 1671, and that from this date the settle¬ 
ment was made at various points of our boundaries. From 
that period the settlement here was rapid. These lands, 
with those below the Apoquinimy, seem to have attracted 
strongly the attention of emigrants, so that in 1683, New 
Castle, St. Georges, and Apoquinimy Hundred, were the 
only subdivisions of territory in the county. In that year 
there were fifty taxable inhabitants between George’s Creek 
and the Apoquinimy. Among these were Henry Walraven, 
who owned the farm adjoining Samuel Townsend on the 
East; John Foster, John Taylor, John Peterson, Hans Han¬ 
son, Adam Peterson, Elias Humphreys, Judith Crawford 
and Peter Alricks, the descendants of some of whom are 
still with us. Judith Crawford was the widow of James 
Crawford, who was a landholder here prior to 1671. Be¬ 
tween Apoquinimy and Duck Creek there were forty taxa¬ 
ble inhabitants in 1683. 

Drawyers Creek has three branches. The “ main branch ” 
rises west of the Forest church, and crosses the road near 
that church. There was also the branch between General 
Mansfield’s and Charles Haughey’s farms, anciently called 
the “ Southern Branch of 2nd Drawyers .” The other 
branch between Mr. Templeman’s and Mrs. Hanson’s was 
called the “ Northern Branch of 2nd Drawyers The St. 
Augustine Creek was anciently called “ Arentidskill .” 
Reedy Island has been called Reedon, Reeden, Reeton, 
Reeten, and Bird Island. 

Pearce’s Run derived its name from Abraham Pearce, 
who owned land adjoining it. It was anciently called “ Ca- 


17 


noe Branch.” The location of the Vandykes in Dutch Neck 
was called “ Berwick .” James Burnham’s farm was called 
“Spring Garden General Mansfield’s “Axmister; Charles 
Haughey’s “ Weston and William Perry’s “ Poplar Hill.” 
“The Trap” has had that name more than a century. 
Nearly every farm had its own name. 

In 1675 there were probably but three churches in the 
present states of Delaware and Pennsylvania. On the re¬ 
cords of the court we find the following order, viz : 

“ At a special court held by the governor at New Castle 
in Delaware River the 13th and 14th dayes of May 1675, 
It was ordered, that the church, or place of worship in this 
Town and the affairs thereunto belonging be regulated by 
the court here, in as orderly and decent a manner as may 
be.* * * § That the place for meeting at Craine Hoeck do con¬ 
tinue as heretoforef—that the church at Tinnecum Island 
do serve for Uppland and parts adjacept.f 

“And whereas there is no church or place of worship higher 
upp the River than the said Island, fot the greater ease and 
convenience of the inhabitants there, Its ordered, that the 
magestrats of Uppland do cause a church or place of meet¬ 
ing for that purpose to be built at Wickegkoo, the which to 
be for the inhabitants of Passayunk and so upwards. $ The 
said court being empowered to raise a Tax for its building, 
and to agree upon a competent maintenance for their minis¬ 
ter : of all which they are to give an account to the next 

* The original church at New Castle, is mentioned by William Penn, 
in a letter to the committee of the Society of Free Traders in London in 
1683, as a Dutch Chuhch. 

■f Craine Hoeck, afterwards called Tranhook, lay on the low lands op¬ 
posite to the old stone church at Wilmington. The stone church was 
built on its present site about 1680. 

i Upland is in Chester. 

§ Wickegkoo is Wicocoa above the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. 

2 * 


18 


general Court, and they to the governor for his approba- 
eon.” Signed, 

“ E. Andross.” 

The churches at Craine Hoeck, Tinnicum, and Wicocoa 
were Swedes churches, and sufficiently point out the loca¬ 
tion of the Swedes. 

The Dutch church, at New Castle, was probably the nu¬ 
cleus of the present Presbyterian church. The Episco¬ 
pal church, in that town, was founded in 1689. We 
have no evidence that any other church existed earlier than 
1698. In that year the first Presbyterian church, in Phi¬ 
ladelphia, was formed. In 1700 Bishop Compton, of Lon¬ 
don, sent Rev. Evan Evans to Philadelphia. 

This church, then, was the second Presbyterian church 
organized in New Castle county, and probably the second in 
the State. There was a minister at Lewistown, (Rev. Mr. 
Black,) in 1708, the very year in which we find Mr. Wil¬ 
son preaching here. Among the early settlers, in this vicinity, 
there were four classes —1st, The Swedes. These seem 
to have formed but a small portion of the earliest popula¬ 
tion. The Petersons, the Andriessons, or Andersons, and 
the Pipers belonged to this class. C. Piper was secretary 
to Charles XI., King of Sweden ; and in 1696, he wrote 
a letter to the Swedes of Delaware, which was also signed 
by the king, and accompanied it with a present from the 
king of 1690 volumes of books, which were sent to them 
free from charge. Count Piper, you will remember, was 
secretary to Charles XII. of Sweden, and accompanied him 
in his expedition against ancient Muscovy, in his attempt to 
conquer Peter the Great. He was with him in all his re¬ 
verses of fortune in the Ukraine, and in his flight to Bender. 
—(See Life of Charles XII.) 


19 


2d. The Dutch. The residence of the Puritans who 
landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, for many years in Hol¬ 
land, and the correspondence between those who came to 
America and that portion of the Pilgrims who remained 
behind, laid open a field of enterprize to many of the Hol¬ 
landers, who soon embarked for America. The Dutch had 
previously settled in New York and a part of New Jersey. 
A portion of these emigrants located in Delaware. To 
this class belonged the Alricks, the Hansons, the Vande- 
grifts, the Van Dykes, the Vanzandts, the Vances, the Hyatts, 
and the Kings. 

The third class was composed of the French Hugue¬ 
nots. After a most unrelenting persecution during the 26 
years which succeeded the massacre on St. Bartholomew’s 
day, Henry IV. by the Edict of Nantes, adopted in 1598, 
gave to the Protestants,. the same rights and privileges and 
immunities with the Roman Catholics. This was, in fact,, 
extending to them a full toleration of their religious princi¬ 
ples. 

But Louis XIV. deprived them of these rights in 1681, 
and attempted by armed; forces to compel them to renounce 
their Protestant principles: and in 1685 he revoked the 
Edict of Nantes and gave them up to the rage of persecu¬ 
tion.. These steps drove more than 500,000 Protestants to 
Switzerland, Germany, Holland, and England. Of these 
a portion settled in this vicinity. To this class belonged 
the Naudains, the Dushanes, the Gettons, Laforge, the Bay¬ 
ards, the Larrouxs, and the Seays, or Sees, the Vigorues, 
and Cannons, who settled here at an early period. 

The fourth class was composed of the Irish, the Scotch, 
and the English, with a few of the early settlers of New 
England. The English and New England emigrants first 
came to Delaware with Sir Robert Carr, in 1664. 


20 


Daring the reign of Charles I. in the year 1641, the mas¬ 
sacre of the Irish Protestants occurred, in which fifty thou¬ 
sand were inhumanly butchered ; and many fled to the North 
of Scotland, from which country the North of Ireland had 
been colonized by Protestants. 

The act of uniformity adopted in 1662, requiring all minis¬ 
ters and churches rigidly to conform to the rites of the es¬ 
tablished church, occasioned 2000 ministers to dissent and 
leave their pulpits. In 1691, the act of toleration was pass¬ 
ed, during the reign of William and Mary. The act of uni¬ 
formity also affected Scotland with equal severity. But afi- 
ter a period of rest under the act of toleration, the effort was 
made during the reign of Queen Anne, to repeal the act of 
toleration. These difficulties and the unsettled state of af¬ 
fairs in Europe drove many of the more quiet citizens from 
their native land, to seek an asylum and to plant the banner 
of the cross in this inhospitable wilderness. Such is the 
outline of the oppressions which resulted in the formation of 
this church. Some of the men who laid its foundations had 
left the fields of suffering and privation, and bloodshed in 
Europe, to enjoy the privilege of worshipping God accord¬ 
ing to: the dictates of their conscience. Some of the no¬ 
blest spirits of the age, the Christian heroes of their time, 
laid the foundations of this community and of this church. 

At what period a congregation was formed in this vicinity, 
we are unable to decide. Dr. Read says, that it was about 
the year 1700. The Swedes who settled here, and the ori¬ 
ginal English inhabitants,.began to locate their lands as early 
as 1671. The Crawford family connected with this con¬ 
gregation and with the Forest church, after its organiza¬ 
tion, came to Delaware with Sir Robert Carr in 1664. The 
Petersons and Hansons are known to have been land hold¬ 
ers here since 1678. Henry Walraven, John Peterson, 


21 


of whom this lot was purchased, Hans Hanson, one 
of the purchasers of this lot, Peter Alrichs and Judith 
Crawford are known to have resided here in 1683. They 
probably had some place of worship at an early period. At 
that period, one of the first things, after the settlement of a 
neighborhood, was the formation of a church. The 
Swedes, the Dutch, the Friends, all established their 
churches almost as soon as they arrived. And it is reason¬ 
able to suppose that while the Quakers, who fled from the 
intolerance of Charles II., had their church at Hickory 
Grove, and the Welsh Episcopalians their church at St. 
George’s, that the Presbyterians had their place of wor¬ 
ship in this vicinity. This much is known, that in 1708 
the Presbytery of Philadelphia received a letter from per¬ 
sons residing here, respecting the ministrations of the Gos¬ 
pel ; and they ordered the Rev. John Wilson, of New Cas¬ 
tle to preach to this people “ once a month on a week day.” 
In 1709 they ordered “ Mr. Wilson to preach at Apoquin- 
imy once a month till the next meeting; and one Sabbath a 
quarter till the aforesaid meeting, provided always, that the 
Sabbath day’s sermon be taken from the White Clay Creek, 
their time.”—(Rec. p. 12.) Prior to 1708, the congrega¬ 
tion at New Castle included White Clay Creek, and of course 
all the intervening country. The people of White Clay 
Creek during that year requested the Presbytery to grant 
them a separate organization. This the people of New 
Castle opposed, in order “ that their meeting house and con¬ 
gregation in New Castle may not be damaged by this rup¬ 
ture of their fellow-members of White Clay Creek.” 

The Presbytery ordered Mr. Wilson to preach on the 
Sabbath alternately at White Clay Creek and New Castle. 
To this arrangement, the order of the Presbytery to Mr 
Wilson to take the Sabbaths devoted to this congregation 


22 


from the White Clay Creek people, refers. Mr. Wilson 
undoubtedly had the pastoral charge of all the Presbyterians 
in this county in 1708. 

This congregation may have been gathered by Rev. Na¬ 
thaniel Taylor, long previous to 1700. This supposition is 
rendered probable, by the fact that the Taylor family were 
settled here in 1683, —3nd Mr. Taylor seems to have been 
well acquainted with this section of the country. 

This church is known to have sustained the preaching 
and ordinances of the Gospel one hundred and thirty-four 
years, including such periods of vacancy as usually occur; 
and to have employed’ fourteen ministers, ten of whom 
are known to have been pastors; and two others may have 
been pastors. 

On its original territory, three Presbyterian churches have 
been formed by divisions of this congregation, and also three 
Methodist churches have been gathered. 

MINISTERS. 

The first minister of this congregation, of whom we find 
any account, was Rev. John Wilson, who was directed by 
the Presbytery in 1708 to divide his labors between this 
congregation, New Castle, and White Clay Creek. He was 
one of the original members of the first Presbytery orga¬ 
nized in the United States. He died in 1712. His family 
were left in indigent circumstances, and were assisted by 
the synod. 

The second minister was Rev. Robert Wotherspoon, who 
was ordained at Apoquinimy, May 13, 1714. He bought 
the farm now owned by Mrs. Boyd, in 1715, and died in 
May, 1718. 

After the death of Mr. Wotherspoon, the Rev. Mr. 


23 


Young preached to this congregation; but whether as a 
stated supply or as a pastor is not known. He was ad¬ 
mitted to the synod in 1718, having brought credentials 
from the Presbytery of Armagh, in Ireland. He died in 

1721. 

Rev. Henry Hook is supposed to have taken charge of 
this congregation in 1722. He purchased the farm on 
which the Widow Hanson now resides, in 1724 ; and re¬ 
sided in Mrs. Hanson’s house, which he probably built, 
one room in which was formerly called The Study. He died 
in 1741, and was buried on his farm between his house and 
the public road. This farm has remained in the possession 
of his descendants to this day. 

Rev. John Dick was ordained November 12, 1746, over 
New Castle and Drawyers. He is supposed to have re¬ 
sided on Mrs. Boyd’s farm. He died in 1747, and is be¬ 
lieved to have been buried on the farm. 

Rev. Hector Allison was settled in 1753, and remained 
until 1758. There is a regular account with him on the 
Treasurer’s book, from 1753 to 1758, when he removed. 
The congregation seems to have had only occasional sup¬ 
plies during the next ten years. 

In 1768 Rev. Thomas Read, (afterwards Dr. Read,) 
commenced supplying the congregation. In May, 1768, 
Andrew Bryan was chosen “ Treasurer for Rev. Thomas 
Read’s salary money.” In 1772 “ John Golden was chosen 
trustee of Rev. Thomas Read’s salary money, it being the 
first year of his stated labor.” Mr. Read was a popular 
preacher, and the congregation was probably the largest in 
Delaware during his minintry. Prior to 1772, he taught in 
the Academy at Newark, and preached to this congrega¬ 
tion as a stated supply. He received the degree of Doctor 


24 


in Divinity in 1796, and removed to Wilmington, where he 
settled in the ministry in 1797, and died in 1823. 

Rev. John Burton commenced his labors in this congre¬ 
gation, in May, 1804. He had previously been minister of 
St. George’s congregation. Thence he removed to Sussex 
county and took charge of the Cool Spring congregation, in 
1795, whence he came to this congregation. He continued 
as stated supply until 1822. He died in 1825, and was 
buried in St. George’s church yard. He owned the farm now 
known as the Coudon farm, south of Hickory Grove bury¬ 
ing grbund ; and while minister at Drawyers he bought the 
house and farm, now owned by John Hays, near the Forest 
church. During his ministry here he also supplied the For¬ 
est church a portion of his time. He was a learned man, 
well versed in theology, but exceedingly absent, and some¬ 
times eccentric. 

Rev. Joseph Wilson, from Nottingham, Pennsylvania, 
commenced his labors and was installed over Drawyers, 
Smyrna, and Forest churches, in 1822. He afterwards re¬ 
linquished the care of the church at Smyrna, which, since 
that period, has become extinct. 

So much had Drawyers church declined after the re¬ 
moval of Dr. Read, and so rapid was the decline of Pres¬ 
byterianism in this region, that Mr. Wilson received an in¬ 
adequate support, and was under the necessity of teaching a 
portion of his time. He removed in 1830. 

On the 1st of July, 1832, Rev. Nicholas Patterson com¬ 
menced preaching in this congregation as a stated supply, 
and continued his labors, until November 25,1832. During 
the period of his labors, the first protracted series of reli¬ 
gious exercises was held; and, as the result, 31 were added 
on the 4th of November to the church. This was the 


25 


largest number which has been added to the church at one 
time during the entire period of its existence. 

On the 25th of November, 1832, Rev. David De Forest 
Ely commenced his labors here as a stated supply and con¬ 
tinued 22 weeks. 

August 11, 1833, Rev. Warren G. Jones commenced his 
labors in this congregation, and was installed November 21, 
1833. On the first Sabbath in September in that year, 
eight persons were added to the church. 

January 12, 1833, eleven were received to the com¬ 
munion of the church; and in March following four were 
admitted. Mr. Jones closed his labors in the congregation 
August 14, 1835, and removed to Connecticut. 

In November following, Rev. Charles Brown, of Lewes 
Presbytery was invited to supply the pulpit. September 
9, 1837, he received a unanimous call, and was installed 
October 21, of the same year. On the 22d of May, 1839, 
Mr. Brown resigned his charge. On the 23d of June fol¬ 
lowing, the congregation unanimously resolved to call the 
present pastor, Rev. George Foot, who was installed on the 
18th of November, 1839. 

Of those who have labored here either as pastors or 
stated supplies since 1822, Rev. Messrs. Wilson, Patterson, 
Ely, Jones, and Brown are among the living. All the mi¬ 
nisters previous to that date are numbered with the dead. 

This church, like many others in this region, has neg¬ 
lected almost entirely its ecclesiastical records. From its 
foundation to 1832, there are but two items of ecclesiasti¬ 
cal business on record. We are indebted to the Trea¬ 
surer’s book for a record of the ordination of Elders. 

There was a catalogue of members belonging to the 
church, made in 1807. It exhibits the state of religion at 
that period as very low and unpromising. There were then 


26 


but 39 members in communion, eight of whom were colored 
persons. This church has never enjoyed those frequent 
and copious showers of grace which have been poured on 
some other portions of the country. This state of things 
may be attributed perhaps, in part, to the practice of ad¬ 
mitting persons who did not profess to have passed from 
death to life, to sealing ordinances, which long prevailed 
here. These is no evidence that Whitefield ever preached 
on this spot, nor that the revival, at that period, had any in¬ 
fluence upon it. In 1746 this congregation, which had 
sustained the ministry alone for 28 years previous, was 
united with New Castle, under the care of Mr. Dick. This 
fact shows that its interests had greatly declined. From 
1747 to 1753, the pulpit was vacant. The youth and fer¬ 
vid eloquence of Rodgers, made rapid inroads on the con¬ 
gregation; the growth of the Forest congregation, five miles 
distant from this spot, and the improved state of religious 
feeling, under the labors of Rodgers, and Whitefield, and 
Tennent, and Finley drew many of the younger members 
of this congregation to St. George’s and the Forest churches. 
These 'considerations show why so many of the members 
who belonged to this congregation in 1746, were afterwards 
found on the records of St. George’s. 


ELDERS. 

With regard to the elders of this church we have not 
been able to gain much definite information earlier than 
the year 1732. From the records of the Presbytery, it 
appears that Leonard Vandegrift was an elder in Presby¬ 
tery in 1711. In 1708 the Vandegrift family bought land 
here; and none of the name are known to have resided in 
any other part of the field of the Presbytery of Philadel- 


27 


phia, at that period. Leonard is a family name in the Van- 
degrift family residing here, and can be traced on records 
as far back as 1738. Leonard Vandegrift, then, was an 
elder in this church. In 1712 we find Isaac Piper re¬ 
corded as an elder in Presbytery. The Piper family long 
resided here, and it is a reasonable supposition that Isaac 
Piper was an elder in this church. In 1714, Hans Han¬ 
son was an elder in Presbytery. There were two men of 
this name at that date, probably the father and the son.— 
The eldest of the two resided at New Castle. But no 
elder of this name could have represented the church at 
New Castle, in the Presbytery, at the meeting in 1714, be¬ 
cause Segfrigus Alrichs was also an elder in Presbytery, 
who is known to have resided in New Castle. Hans Han¬ 
son, then, was an elder in this church in 1714. He was 
one of the purchasers of this lot, in 1711. 

At the first meeting of the Synod of Philadelphia, in 1717, 
Elias Naudain, who is known to have resided within the 
bounds of this congregation in 1717, was present as an 
elder. In 1720, Isaac Piper was again an elder in the sy¬ 
nod. In 1721, Johannes Vandegrift was an elder in synod. 
In 1724, Abraham Golden, Sen. He owned the farm on 
which Abraham Vandegrift now resides. In 1725, Thos. 
Hyatt, whose name is on our records, in 1736, as belonging 
to the congregation. In 1727, Jacob King was an elder in 
synod. He owned the Dickinson farm, north west from 
the Trap. 

In 1731, Francis King was an elder in synod. He own¬ 
ed Mr. Barney’s farm in 1709, and bought a farm lying on 
the south west side of 2d Drawyers Creek, now a part of 
Gen. Mansfield’s, on which the old stone house now stands, 
in 1720. 

In 1732, the elders were Francis King, Cornelius King, 


28 


who owned either a part of Mr. Barney’s farm, or that of 
John M. Woods, Moses McKinley, who owned the farm 
now owned by Isaac Vandegrift; Charles Robinson, who 
owned the Booth farm on Scott’s Run, and Christopher Van¬ 
degrift. 

In 1746, Elias Naudain and Garrett Dushane, who lived 
at the Trap, on John Janvier’s farm, were elders in office. 
On the 5th Sabbath of March, in the same year, David 
Witherspoon, Esq., James McComb, Garrett Rothwell, 
Cornelius King, Joseph Hill, James Anderson, and James 
Vance were ordained. In 1778, John Taylor and Isaac 
Moody were chosen in the place of Andrew Bryan, de¬ 
ceased. 

In 1788, Elias Naudain and Joseph Aspril. In 1790, 
John Hanson, in the place of John Crawford, deceased. 

Between 1790 and 1794, though it is not certain in which 
year, John Vance Hyatt was ordained in the place of John 
Golden, deceased. In 1794, John Janvier and Elias Wal- 
raven, in the place of Robert Meldrum, deceased. In 
1796, Peter Bowman and John Moody, in the place of 
Isaac Hyatt, deceased. 

Thus it appears that between 1746 and 1776, Andrew 
Bryan, John Crawford, John Golden, Robert Meldrum, 
and Isaac Hyatt are incidentally mentioned as elders, de¬ 
ceased, of whose ordination there is no record. 

In 1801, Arnold Naudain and William Frazer, in place 
of Elias Naudain and John Janvier, deceased; William 
Frazer was never ordained. 

In 1805, James Vance, Joshua Toland, and Leonard K. 
Vandegrift, in place of Joseph Aspril, John Hanson, and 
Elias Walraven, deceased; and Arnold Naudain, who join¬ 
ed the Methodists ; 1806, David Sebo, in the place of John 
V. Hyatt, deceased. 


29 


In 1790, John Janvier and John Vance Hyatt were elect 
ed deacons ; and in lffi4 , Joseph Vance. There is no evi 
dence that any other deacons have existed in this church. 

In 18 J 3, Mr. John Boyd was ordained an elder. He 
was for several years the only elder in the church, and died 
in 1837. 

March 8, 1833, John M. Woods was ordained an elder. 

November 21, 1833, Andrew S. Naudain and Samuel 
Jefferson were ordained as Elders; Mr. Jefferson after¬ 
wards was elected an elder in Port Penn church. 



trustees 


There is no record of the election of trustees earlier than 
1746. 

The following persons have been Trustees of this con¬ 
gregation, viz : John Vandyke, went out of office as trustee, 
in 1746. He was sheriff of this county. 

In 1746, Hans Hanson, Elias Naudain, James Anderson, 
Senr., and David Witherspoon. Elias Naudain was a na¬ 
tive of France. 

After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, 
he fled to England. The certificate of his denization in 
England was dated 1703, and recorded at New Castle, in 
1720. He was on the grand jury at New Castle in 1718. 

David Witherspoon, Esq. was a native of the county of 
Londonderry, in Ireland. He resided in xMiddletown, where 
he died in 1763, aged 58, and was buried in the rear of 
the tavern in that place, which tavern he built. He was a 
member of the Senate in Delaware, in 1762. It was in 
his house that the scene described in the Life of Dr. 
Rodgers occurred, which was the apparent means of bringing 
Hugh Knox into the kingdom of God, and into the Chris- 


30 



tian ministry. About the year 1754, Knox came to this 
country from Ireland, and was recommended to Dr. Rodgers 
by Dr. Francis Allison, of New London. Dr. Rodgers 
succeeded in establishing for him a grammar school at the 
head of the Bohemia, on the farm now in possession of the 
Clayton family. In this school Knox continued about a 
year, as a successful teacher. Here he attended the minis¬ 
try of Dr. Rodgers, at the Forest church. On Saturdays 
he was accustomed to spend the afternoons at the tavern 
of Mr. Witherspoon, in company with some of his associ¬ 
ates. Habits of intemperance, in this company, were rapid¬ 
ly gaining strength. On one occasion the associates of 
Knox said, “ come parson, give us a sermon.” He at first 
declined, but at length excited by drink, said, “ well, come, 
1 will give you the sermon which Mr. Rodgers preached 
last Sunday.” The text was, 2 Cor. v. 20. Knox had a 
retentive memory and great powers of imitation. He re¬ 
peated so much of the sermon, and imitated so closely the 
delivery of Dr. Rodgers that Mr. Witherspoon, who heard 
him from the adjacent room, said, that had he not known to 
the contrary, he should have supposed that Dr. Rodgers 
himself was preaching. This attempt at mimickry made 
a deep impression on the mind of Knox. Filled with 
shame, he fled from the place without waiting even to col¬ 
lect the money due to him, and was not heard of for a num¬ 
ber of months. The next autumn, Dr. Rodgers attended 
the commencement at Princeton. At the house of President 
Burr he met with Knox, who made to him a full confession 
of the wickedness of his conduct, and of the impression 
which the scene had made on his mind, which resulted in 
his hopeful conversion, and begged the doctor to say nothing 
to hinder his admission to college. He was admitted; pur¬ 
sued his classical and theological studies with entire credit 


31 


to himself; settled in the ministry in the island of St. Croix, # 
where he remained fo$ many years, and eventually received 
the degree of Doctor in Divinity from the university of Glas¬ 
gow, in Scotland. He was an able writer. 

1754, James Anderson, David Witherspoon, Joseph Hill, 
Alexander Bryan, and William Whittit,—Whittit was a 
merchant. 

1766, James Anderson, Arnold Naudain, and Thomas 
Witherspoon. James Anderson died in 1767, and in 

1768, Andrew Naudain and Andrew Bryan were elect¬ 
ed. 

1772, Arnold Naudain, Thomas Witherspoon, Andrew 
Bryan, Charles Robinson, John Crawford, Isaac Hyatt, 
John Golden, and Robert Meldrum were trustees. 

1778, John Crawford was chosen trustee of the glebe 
money, in place of Andrew Bryan, deceased; and William 
Read for the money willed to Drawyers congregation, by 
** Mary Hill. He was a brother of Dr. Read. 

1785, Elias Naudain was chosen Trustee of the glebe 
money. 

1787, John Crawford, John Golden, Joseph Aspril, Elias 
Naudain, and John Vance Hyatt. Elias Naudain died in 
1800. 

1790, Robert Meldrum in the place of John Crawford, 
Esq., deceased, and William McKennan in the place of 
John Golden, deceased. 

1794, John Congleton who removed from the place in 
1794, and John Janvier, who died in 1801. 

1798, William Frazer, who continued in office till 1800, 
and Elias Walraven, who died 1803. 

1802, William Bradford, who died in 1803. In 1802, 
Joseph Aspril 


32 


1805, John Janvier and Christopher Vandegrift 3d were 
elected. 

1806, Alban Roberts, who resigned in 1811. 

1811, David Sebo, who died in 1815. 

1819, John Janvier, Lawrence Aspril, Abraham Vande¬ 
grift, and Peter Bowman. 

1829, James Houston, John H. Cannon, and John M. 
Woods. 

1842, The Trustees of this congregation in office are 
John Janvier, Esq., Christopher Vandegrift, John Janvier, 
Abraham Vandegrift, James Houston, John M. Woods, and 
John H. Cannon. 


TREASURERS. 

1731, Abraham Martin was in office. 

1736, John Vandyke was elected. 

1750, David Witherspoon. 

From 1751 to 1754, Anthony Golden. 

1764, Thomas Witherspoon. 

1767, Arnold Naudain. 

1773, Arnold Naudain. 

1785, John Crawford. 

1787, Arnold Naudain. 

1807, John Moody, who continued in office till 1819. 
From 1819 to 1822 John Janvier. 

1822 to 1825, Christopher Vandegrift. 

1825 to 1826, Peter Bowman. 

1826 to 1829, Christopher Vandegrift. 

1829 to 1842, John Janvier. 

The following persons are known to have belonged to this 
congregation, at the names. They 


33 


were probably all here at a period anterior to these dates, 
as they are incidentally mentioned on the records. But we 
are compelled to gather up the names as they stand re¬ 
corded. From the records of the Synod of Philadelphia, 
it appears that Andrew Vandyke was a member of this 
church, in 1718. The Vandyke family emigrated to this 
colony from Middlesex county, New Jersey. Andrew Van¬ 
dyke made his will in 1730. He had a brother, Isaac Van¬ 
dyke, whose will is dated 1727. This family resided in 
Dutch Neck. 

The bond of Garrett Dushane and Abraham Golden, 
Senr., bears date Oct. 10, 1723. Abraham Marteen, (Mar¬ 
tin,) was here in 1731. John Vandyke, son of Andrew, 
1733. Moses McKinley, Charles Robinson, Cornelius 
King, Francis King, and Christopher Vandegrift, 1732.— 
Thomas Hyatt, 1739. 

The bonds of Henry Vandyke and Nicholas Vandyke, 
are dated 1744. 

Francis King and Francis Crussan’s, 1746. 

John Vanzandt and William Bennett’s, 1747. 

Peter Packard and Jared Rothwell’s, 1746. 

All the bonds mentioned probably belonged to the glebe. 

Andrew Bryan, Henry Piper, James Anderson, Peter 
Bellows, Jacob Hyatt, William Piper, David Steward, 
Thomas King, John Vandyke, son of Nicholas, whose will 
is dated 1728. James Dery, William Patterson, James 
Rogers, James Vance, Derick See, Peter Getton, Lewis 
Getton, James Houston, James McComb, Matthew Steele, 
Robert Young, William Bell, Henry Vanleud, Isaac Can¬ 
non, who lived on the farm of Robert Ocheltree, John 
Fermer, James Patterson, James Crawford, Anthony Du¬ 
shane, James Beluerd, Garrett Vanzandt, David Hyatt, 
Charles Perry, Peter Alrichs, Hugh Curry, Thomas Dare, 


34 


Valentine Dushane, John Anderson, Henry Peterson ; were 
all members of the congregation and held seats in the house 
of worship in 1746. 

John Culbertson, Andrew Vance, Samuel Moore, - 

Laforge, and Thomas Leach, in 1748. John Vance, and 
James Peterson, in 1750. Anthony Golden, in 1751.— 
Joseph Hill, in 1752. Joseph Hill was a native of Boston, 
New England. 

Thomas Steward and James Mahoe, William Piper, 
John Anderson, James Hart, David Walker, George Pent- 
land, William Wilson, Jacobus Hanson, Grace McComb, 
Hugh McDowell, Andrew Naudain, 1753. 

James Piper, Robert Watt, and Nicholas Bennett, 1754. 
John Bryan and Alexander Bryan (were brothers) and John 
Bumgarden, 1763. William Golden, James Anderson, 
Abraham Golden, Abraham Williams, and Derick Williams, 
John Hanson, William Hanson, Samuel Piper, and John 
Martin, 1767. 

Merinas Haughey, Thomas Packard, John Golden, and 
Susanna Denny, “ late widow of Andrew Naudain,” 1771. 
All these names, excepting one or two, are found on the re¬ 
cords of the trustees. 

With a commendable zeal the members of this congre¬ 
gation, at an early period of its history, made liberal dona¬ 
tions to establish a permanent fund for the support of the 
ministry, the benefit of whose liberality we enjoy at the pre¬ 
sent time ; and it becomes us to inquire whether the present 
generation ought not to remember, in a similar manner, this 
ancient congregation, and provide for its future necessities— 
that while you enjoy the benefits of the liberality of your 
ancestors, you may extend the same liberality to your suc¬ 
cessors. 

Mrs. Mary Hill, who has been mentioned as a benefac- 


35 


tor of this church, was the wife of Joseph Hill, an elder of 
this church, and grand-daughter of Peter Alrichs, Governor 
of Delaware. She contributed a hundred pounds to the 
building of this church, and thirty pounds to purchase plate 
for the communion table. 

The first house of worship erected on this enclosure 
stood on the south east corner of the grave yard, directly 
in front of the grave of Joseph Hill. Tt was of wood. 
What were its form and dimensions cannot now be ascer¬ 
tained. It soon became too small to contain the congrega¬ 
tion, and was enlarged in 1736. The name of the carpenter 
was Alexander Hoage. But it seems to have been enlarg¬ 
ed more than once. The preamble to the subscription for 
the present house, says of the former house, “ and at sundry 
times” it “has been enlarged.” But at what periods and 
to what extent we have no means of ascertaining. 

In 1751, the “Study House” was either built or en¬ 
larged. That “Study House” is remembered my many 
now among us. It stood near the north east corner of this 
house, where the ruins of its foundations are still visible. 

In 1797, the congregation resolved to enclose the bury¬ 
ing ground. Probably it had never been enclosed prior to 
that date, and the ashes of the dead are reposing in the ad¬ 
jacent fields, and in the grove in front of the present en¬ 
closure. 

In 1769, the house of worship having decayed and being 
rendered “ unfit to answer the purposes of a house of wor¬ 
ship,” a subscription was raised for the purpose of erecting 
the present edifice, and Peter Alrichs, John Hanson, John 
Hyatt, Jr., James Moore, William Bradford, Duncan Beard, 
Henry Packard, Jr., and Andrew Brown were appointed 
a building committee. Peter Alrichs was appointed trea¬ 
surer of the building committee. The house was not 


36 


erected till 1773. The bricks were burnt on the farm of 
Robert Meldrum, now owned by Samuel Pennington. The 
remains of the brick-kiln are still visible on the north east 
corner of Mr. Pennington’s field, lying on the north side of 
the road leading from this church, to Middletown. 

In 1772, Peter Alrichs and Mrs. Mary Hill were appoint¬ 
ed “ Treasurers of the money for building the new Meet¬ 
ing House.” Andrew Bryan, however, acted in their behalf. 
During the same year, another building committee seems to 
have been appointed, consisting of Andrew Bryan, Tho¬ 
mas Witherspoon, John Crawford, John Hyatt, and Arnold 
Naudain. 

Jacob McComb, Garrett Hart, Robert Meldrum, Isaac 
Hyatt, and Thomas McKean were appointed a committee 
to collect the subscription for the building of the church. 

In 1776, Duncan Beard, Isaac Moody, Joseph Aspril, 
and William Read were chosen a committee to settle with 
Andrew Bryan, Treasurer for building “ Drawyers Brick 
Meeting House.” 

The house was not finished, however, at that period. A 
part of it was plastered in 1823. 

Mrs. Sarah Hyatt, who died in 1820, left a legacy of 
100 pounds for this purpose; and David Vandyke be¬ 
queathed in his will made in 1798, twenty pounds to Draw¬ 
yers church, “ to finish the house of worship.” 

The dimensions of this church are 44 by 56 feet. Its 
materials and workmanship were of the most substantial cha¬ 
racter. It is a noble monument of the fidelity of the build¬ 
ing committee, and of the affection of that generation for 
the decency and order of divine worship. John Vance 
Hyatt died in 1806, and left 100 pounds to put a new roof 
on the church. 

In 1811, a new roof was put upon this house and in 


37 


1833 the pulpit and seats were remodeled, and the interior 
of the house otherwise improved and painted. 

The names of those who contributed to the erection of 
this house, with the several amounts of their subscriptions, 
are as follows: 


James Patterson, 

£ s. 

1 10 

d. 

0 

John Edwards, 

- 1 10 

0 

Henry Vanbebber, 

1 0 

0 

Daniel Bratton, 

- 1 0 

0 

Abel Pitman, 

1 10 

0 

William Gill, 

- 1 10 

0 

Roger Casey, 

1 0 

0 

Samuel Adair, 

- 3 0 

0 

George McCoole, 

1 10 

0 

William Stephenson, 

- 1 10 

0 

Abel Miles, 

1 10 

0 

Owen Owen, 

- 2 0 

0 

Nicholas Vandyke, 

6 0 

0 

Andrew Hendry, 

1 0 

0 

Nicholas Hanson, 

1 10 

0 

Joseph Aspril, 

- 3 0 

0 

William Carpenter, 

2 0 

0 

Henry Foster, 

- 6 0 

0 

William Walker, 

3 10 

0 

John Gray, 

- 2 0 

0 

Jacob Vanlaven, 

3 0 

0 

William Nielson, 

- 3 0 

0 

George Norris, 

3 0 

0 

Garrett Hart, 

- 10 0 

0 

Jacob King, 

2 0 

0 

John Adair, 

- 2 0 

0 

Ephraim Hyatt, 

3 0 

0 


38 


John Taylor, 

John Richardson, 

Hugh Eagleson, 

Jean Butcher, - 
Sarah Hambly, 

Sarah McConnall and James Darrach, 
Samuel Carpenter, 

James Vanzandt, 

Susannah Piper, 

John Harrell, Jr., 

Abraham Roth well, 

George Armstrong, 

Peter Packard, 

Arnold Naudain, 

David Vandyke, Senr., 

Elias Naudain, - 

James Vance, 

Osborn Flisse, - 

John Hyatt, - 
John Vail, Senr., - 

William Clark, 

John Golden, - 

John Hanson, 

John Thomas, - 

William Curry, 

Samuel Smith, - 

John McGoffin, 

William Smith, - 

Charles Bryan, 

James Hanson, - 

William Burgess, 

John Burgess, - 


£ s. d> 

5 10 0 
1 0 0 
1 0 0 
1 0 0 
3 0 0 

110 0 

6 0 0 
6 0 0 

6 5 0 

6 0 0 

10 0 0 
2 0 0 

5 0 0 
25 0 0 
20 0 0 
10 0 0 

1 JO 0 
1 0 0 

10 1 6 

6 10 0 

7 0 0 
7 0 0 
6 10 10 
3 0 0 
7 10 0 
3 0 0 

5 0 0 

2 0 0 

6 0 0 
3 0 0 
6 0 0 
1 10 0 


39 








£ 

s. 

d. 

Cornelius Naudain, 

- 


- 


- 

10 

0 

0 

Charles Robinson, 


- 


- 


10 

0 

0 

John Martin, 

- 


- 


_ 

6 

0 

0 

Edwin Webster, 


- 


- 


3 

0 

0 

Abraham Vandegrift,. 



- 


- 

3 

0 

0 

Sampson Atkinson, 


- 


- 


6 

0 

0 

Thomas. Packard, 

- 


- 


- 

6 

0 

0 

Richard See, 


- 


- 


12 

0 

0 

Jared Rothwell, 

- 


- 


- 

3. 

0 

0 

Benjamin Rothwell, 


- 


- 


3 

0 

0 

John Crawford, 

- 


- 


- 

12 

0 

0 

Adam Vance, 


- 


- 


6 

0 

0 

Robert Meldrum, 

- 


- 


- 

10 

0 

0 

Garrett Packard, 


- 


- 


10 

0 

0 

William Hanson, 

- 


- 


- 

10 

0 

0 

Duncan Beard, 


- 


- 


6 

0 

0 

John Vail, Jr., 

- 


- 


- 

3 

0 

0 

William King, 


* 


- 


6 

6 

6 

John Hook, 

- 


- 


- 

10 

0 

0 

Thomas Vail, 


- 


- 


3 

0 

0 

James Moore, 

- 


- 


- 

6 

0 

0 

Mary Hill, 


- 


- 

- 

100 

0 

0 

Henry Packard, 

- 


- 


- 

16 

0 

0 

Thomas Rothwell, 


- 


- 


15 

0 

0 

William McKean, 

- 




- 

13 

0 

0 

Jacob McComb, 


- 


- 


20 

0 

0 

Thomas Witherspoon, 



- 


- 

25 

0 

0 

James Moore, 


- 


- 


6 

0 

0 

Isaac Hyatt, 

- 


- 


- 

8 

0 

0 

Peter Alrichs, 


- 


- 


15 

0 

0 

Benjamin Armstrong, 

- 


- 


- 

10 

0 

0 

James McCoy. 


- 


- 


7 

0 

0 


40 


James Vail, - 

£ s. d. 

- 6 10 0 

William Read, 

6 10 0 

Andrew Brown, 

- 3 2 6 

Joseph Anderson, - 

20 10 10 

Susannah Gooding, 

- 6 0 0 

John Hanson, 2d, - 

10 0 0 

Isaac Moody, 

- 6 0 0 

James Moody, 

3 0 0 

William Rothwell, 

- 3 0 0 

Joseph Evans, 

9 6 

Conderat Gray, 

- 6 5 9 

Jacob Pugh, 

15 15 4i 

Samuel Allen, 

5 8 

James Vail, 

1 10 10 

William White, 

9 4 

Isaac Lewis, 

1 1 1 

Evan Morgan, (Pencader,) 

13 0 

Cornelius McNamer, 

5 0 2 

James Ruth, - 

- 10 13 8 

Jeremiah Ford, 

4 1 5 

William McColly, 

- 1 1 6 

Samuel Steward, - 

5 1 

John Robinson,' 

6 1 

Robert Dorter, 

- - - 

Inosus Scott, 

14 6 

Robert Watt, 

1 4 5 

Joseph Hains, 

- 4 19 10 

Valentine Dodd, 

17 10 

David Thomas, (Lewis county,) 

1 9 

Cornelius Truax, 

1 0 4 

John Bolton, 

- 51 0 0 

James David, 

1 14 6 


41 


Alexander Ruth, 
William Craighton,^ 
Samuel Vance, 
Thomas Hyatt, 
Benjamin Noxen, 
Thomas Wallace, 
John Hambleton, 
Veronica Datterson, 
Thomas McGraw, 
Andrew Bryan, 


£ s. d. 
4 17 6 

9 16 8 

1 10 6 
1 8 6 
2 2 6 
1 1 0 

1 12 4 

1 10 6 

2 6 9 

15 0 0 


A part of the original subscription list now in the hands 
of the treasurer, has been lost, and with it the names of 
forty contributors to this house have perished. The sums 
which they contributed are preserved, and amount to £122 
6s. Id. 

The whole sum raised by subscription for the erection of 
this house was 

£985 13 0 

Add to this 120 0 0 bequeathed to finish 

-the house, and the 

Sum total is £1105 13 0 

This sum was contributed by one hundred and eighty- 
eight individuals. 

The name of Mrs. Mary Hill is carved on a marble slab 
in the wall of this house, on which she caused the following 
inscription to be made, viz: 


4* 



42 


“THE CHURCH OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
SOCIETY IN THIS HUNDRED. 

BUILT A. D. 1773. 

REY. THOMAS READ, A. M. 

PASTOR. 

THIS STONE THE GIFT OF MRS. MARY HILL. 

Serve the Lord with gladness. 

Ps. 100. 2d.” 

\ 

Another Stone is about to be placed on the opposite side 
of the pulpit with this inscription, viz : 

: t W, ft J * ( ’ ' - “ ) f ' * 

THIS SITE PURCHASED MAY 10, 1711. 

THE FIRST CHURCH BUILT 1711. 

. REV. JOHN WILSON, PASTOR, 1708. 

“ Your fathers, where are theyV ’ 

This church, now commonly known as the Drawyers 
church, seems to have derived its name from the creek, on 
whose bank it stands. But whence the creek derived this 
name it is not easy to determine. The original name of the 
church was, “The Church of Apoquinimy.” Its corporate 
name is, “The 1st Presbyterian Church in St. George’s Hun¬ 
dred.” Within the geographical limits of this congregation, 
various other churches have been organized since this church 
was founded. 

There was a place of worship erected at an early period 
by the Friends, near the road, leading from Port Penn to 
the State road, called, “ George’s Creek Meeting House.” 


43 


This site is now known as the Hickory Grove. Thence, the 
place of worship was removed to Cantwell’s Bridge, and the 
present house was erected about the year 1780. 

Dr. Read says, that “about the year 1742 the Draw- 
yers church divided. The party that withdrew, being call¬ 
ed the New Side , were formed into a society and erected 
a meeting house about six miles north east of Drawyers 
meeting house, and formed a large and respectable congrega¬ 
tion denominated, St. George’s congregation; and very 
shortly after invited a Mr. Robinson to be their minister. 
He accepted their invitation in 1743 or 1744, and from 
his piety and zeal there was a prospect of a great harvest in 
that part of the vineyard. But it pleased the Lord to 
call him to a more exalted station in 174G.” This was 
CRev. William Robinson, the pioneer of Presbyterianism 
in Virginia. He was the son of a wealthy Quaker in 
England. In his youth he went to visit an aunt of his in 
the city of London, where he became involved in dissi¬ 
pation and in debt. He resolved at once to embark for 
America, fearing to return to his father’s house. After his 
arrival in this country, he taught a school in New Jersey. 
Here he became a Christian, pursued his academical and 
theological studies while engaged in his school, and in 
due time was licensed and ordained by the Presbytery 
of New Brunswick. Soon after this he visited Virginia as a 
missionary. In Hanover county, in that State, there were 
a few individuals into whose hands “ Boston’s Fourfold 
State,” and some other religious books, had come. Samuel 
Morris, a wealthy planter, had procured Luther’s Commen¬ 
tary on the Galatians, which led him to embrace the plan 
of salvation. He invited his neighbors to meet at his house 
and spend the Sabbaths in hearing religious books read.— 
In 1743 a volume of Whitefield’s Sermons was brought into 


44 


the neighborhood, and such deep interest was excited that 
the people began to meet on week days. But, as yet, they 
had no prayers, extemporaneous prayer being then unknown 
in that region, Episcopacy being the religion established by 
law in that colony. Mr. Morris’ house was soon too small to 
contain the people who resorted thither, and a building was 
erected for their accommodation, which was called “ Mor¬ 
ris’ Reading Room.” In 1743, Mr. Robinson visited 
the interior of Virginia, and preached at Cub Creek.— 
While there, some young people from Mr. Morris’ neigh¬ 
borhood heard him, and carried back the intelligence. Two 
messengers were immediately sent to invite Mr. Robinson to 
Morris’ Reading Room. They were obliged to follow him to 
North Carolina, before they overtook him. He promised to 
comply with their request at an appointed time. On Satur¬ 
day previous to the Sabbath appointed, he rode until a late 
hour of the night and lodged at a tavern eight or ten miles 
distant from the Reading Room. While there, he rebuked 
the landlord, who was a shrewd, boisterous man, for his 
profanity. He replied, “ Pray, who are you, Sir, to take 
such authority upon yourself?” Mr. Robinson replied, “ I 
am a minister of the Gospel.” “ Then your looks belie you 
very much,” was the reply. Mr. Robinson, in addition to 
features far from being prepossessing, had a countenance 
much disfigured by the small pox, and had lost the use 
of one of his eyes. “ But,” said Mr. Robinson, “ If you 
wish to know whether I am a minister or not, if you will ac¬ 
company me, you may be convinced by hearing me preach.” 
His reply was, “ I will, if you will preach from a text 
which I shall give you.” Mr. Robinson promised to 
do so provided there was nothing unsuitable in the text.— 
The text was designedly applied sarcastically to Mr. Rob¬ 
inson himself, by the landlord. It was this,—“ I am fear- 


45 


fully and wonderfully made.” The landlord accompanied 
him. He preached from that text, and the landlord was 
led to see that his own moral conformation was fearful 
and wonderful , and he afterwards became a pious, devoted 
member of the church. Mr. Robinson preached with great 
success, and many were brought into the kingdom of God. 
After Mr. Robinson left the neighborhood, a collection was 
made, and messengers sent to give it to him. This he re¬ 
fused ; but at length consented on condition that they should 
grant him permission to appropriate it to the education of a 
pious, indigent young man, who was then preparing for the 
ministry. He, moreover, promised that that young man 
should come and preach to them when he was prepared. The 
money was thus applied. The young man visited Hanover, 
and there settled in the ministry with that very people.— 
That young man was Rev. Samuel Davies, who was born a 
short distance from the Summit Bridge, on the farm now 
occupied by Mr. Lum, about 12 miles from this spot. He 
was afterwards President of Princeton College, visited 
England and collected funds for its endowment. He was 
one of the most talented and eloquent men of the age, of 
Welch descent, and probably born in the Pencader congre¬ 
gation. 

The people of St. George’s then called Rev. Samuel 
Davies. He spent some time with them but not as a stated 
Pastor; and removed thence to Hanover in Virginia. They 
then united with the congregation of Middletown, which 
was composed principally of the people that withdrew from 
Drawyers, and a few of those that belonged to Back Creek 
congregation, and invited a Mr. John Rodgers to be their 
Pastor. He accepted their invitation, was installed March 
16th, 1749, and spent sixteen years among them.” So 
popular was Dr. Rodgers that the adjacent congregations 


46 

found it difficult to sustain a Pastor, especially Drawyers 
and Pencader. 

The Presbyterian church at Pigeon Run, about five miles 
distant, near the road to Wilmington, was dissolved and 
united with St. George’s, and the Welch Episcopal congre¬ 
gation opposite tho steam mill on the South side of the canal 
in St. George’s, rapidly declined and became extinct. Dr. 
Rodgers removed to Wall Street church in New York in 
1765, and died in 1811. In 1766, Rev. Elihu Spencer 
was called and continued with ihem four years. 

After him Rev. Thomas Smyth was called, who accepted 
their invitation. After about one year had elapsed a difficulty 
arose between the congregations of St. George’s and Middle- 
town, and they became separate charges. Mr. Smyth re¬ 
tained the Middletown church, where he continued to labor 
until his death in 1792. In 1776; the glebe of these congre¬ 
gations was divided. 

The church at St. George’s remained vacant until 
1781, when Rev. Daniel Jones took charge of the congre¬ 
gation, and removed after one year. After this Rev. John 
Burton took charge of it,, and continued there till 1796. 
Rev. John Collins was installed in 1798, and died in 
1804. 

He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Bell in 1808. Under 
Mr. Bell the congregation was united with Pencader. He 
left in 1830. Their present Pastor, Rev. James C. How, 
was installed in 1831. 

Probably the people who withdrew from Drawyers in 
1742, all attended the St. George’s church for several years. 
This is rendered probable by the fact that the Middletown, 
or Forest church was not built till 1750. 

It has been alleged that the St. George’s church was 
organized in 1698. The evidence adduced, is that this date 


47 


is found on a rafter in the roof of the present house. This 
opinion we cannot adopt, because 1. No ministry, nor elder¬ 
ship, nor date on a tombstone can be found prior to the date 
of Mr. Robinson’s settlement. 

2. Because that in the year 1709, the Presbytery refused 
to organize a church at White Clay creek, lest a congregation 
so near to New Castle should injure the church in that place. 
The distance was twelve miles, whereas St. George’s is but 
eleven miles from New Castle. If St. George’s congregation 
is older than this, why did the Presbytery of New Castle in 
1709 direct Mr. Wilson to preach to this church which was 
only six miles distant from St. George’s, when they had at 
that very session refused an organization to White Clay creek, 
twelve miles from New Castle. 

3. The church at St. George’s is never mentioned on the 
records of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, nor of the synod, 
prior to 1753, while this church was mentioned in 1708 and 
1709, and a minister was ordained here by Presbytery in 
1714, and supplies were often sent to this church during the 
vacancies which occurred. 

4. Because all the other churches which are known to 
have existed prior to the organization of the Synod in 1717, 
are mentioned on the Records of the Presbytery. 

5. Because that prior to 1707, an Episcopal church is 
known to have existed in that place, to which Penn granted 
25 acres of land. No instance can be found in which two 
churches existed at that early period within one mile of each 
other, as these two churches at St. George’s must have done, 
except in a large town. 

6. Because the church at Pigeon Run, which was after¬ 
wards united with St. George’s, and stood only five miles 
from it, was manifestly an older church. One tombstone in 


48 


the grave-yard being dated at least twenty years earlier than 
the oldest tombstone at St. George’s. 

7. Because there is no evidence that Red Lion hundred 
was sufficiently populous to become a distinct subdivision of 
territory prior to 1718. 

8. Because Dr. Reed, in a history of these churches now 
in existence, says, that St. George’s church was organized 
by the New Side party, which went out from this church in 
1742. Dr. Reed commenced preaching in this church in 
1768, 26 years after the division occurred, of which he 
speaks, and when many who were active in that division 
were still alive. 

9. Because that many who were evidently members of 
that congregation in 1751, were members and held seats in 
this congregation in 1746. Individuals who were brought 
up here, and even two sons of one of the Elders of this 
church, were afterwards members of that congregation. 
These reasons we deem amply sufficient to outweigh any 
mark on a rafter of a church, the author and history of which 
are unknown. 

The truth may be that the party who composed that 
church knew the date of the organization of this church, and 
that when they left this church, they still claimed to be the 
true and original church, and therefore fixed the date of our 
organization on their church. We know that both parties 
did make this claim during that division in the original Synod, 
as has been done during the recent division, and that on this 
field there were then two Presbyteries, both of which were 
known as the Presbytery of New Castle. On this supposi¬ 
tion, this date is the exact date of the organization of this 
church and congregation. 

There is still another difficulty which needs to be weighed. 


49 


The early congregations in this region are known to have 
had glebes. The earliest bond belonging to the glebe in this 
congregation is dated 1723. The effort to establish a glebe 
in St. George’s was made in 1751, and it was divided in 
1776 with the Forest congregation, or between those above 
the Drawyers creek and those below it. Thus they divided 
between those congregations the entire field of this congre¬ 
gation. The Forest congregation is known to have purchased 
the site of its place of worship in 1750. That new con¬ 
gregation then, many of the members of which are known to 
have belonged previously to this congregation, aided St. 
George’s in purchasing its glebe, and shared in the partition 
in proportion to their contributions. And their glebe was 
purchased at least 28 years after that in Drawyers congrega¬ 
tion was begun. 

Our last reason is this : Christopher Vandegrift, an elder of 
St. George’s church was born in 1731, and died June 8th, 
1816, aged 85. He, of course, was 11 years old in 1742, 
the year in which Dr. Reed says St. George’s church was 
organized. Mr. Vandegrift stated to Rev. Mr. Latta in 
1811, that Mr. Robjn^on, who was settled in 1743 or 1744, 
was the first pastor. It is incredible that a church existed 
there without a pastor for 46 years. 

After the death of Mr. Smyth, the Middletown or Forest 
congregation called Rev. Mr. Cheally, who was exceedingly 
popular in the pulpit, but a misguided and immoral man. 
During his ministry the congregation declined, and its glebe 
was lost, and the ruin of the congregation was soon com¬ 
pleted. 

Since that time, it was supplied by Mr. Burton and Mr. 
Wilson, ministers of Drawyers. After the removal of Mr. 
Wilson, they had no stated preaching, and the congregation 
is now extinct. 


5 


50 


The Forest church was composed of a portion of the 
New side men, who withdrew from this church in 1742. 
They seem to have worshipped at St. George’s, and perhaps 
some of them at Back Creek, until 1750. In that year 
Robert Alexander deeded a lot to Peter Bayard, James 
Bayard, Sluyter Bouchell, Benjamin Sluyter, Wm. Moore, 
John Moody, James Shaw, Thomas Rothwell and John 
Vandyke, Trustees of the Forest congregation, called the 
Presbyterian congregation of Bohemia and Apoquinimy, 
under the care of the Synod of New York. 

In 1789, Peter Hyatt, Alexander McMurphy, John 
Moody, Ephraim Logue, and Wm. Neilson were Trustees, 
and in 1793, John Moody, John Vail, Alexander Stuart, 
Isaac King and Jacob Cazier. 

The Bayards resided on Bohemia Manor. The old 
Mansion House stood near the Ferry, nearly East of the 
house of Hon. Louis McLane. The family vault is in a 
locust grove in the rear of the present Bayard mansion. 
In that vault, are deposited also the remains of Richard 
Bassett, a former govenor of Delaware. The door of the 
vault is the tombstone of Herman. It has been removed 
from the grave to which it belongs, and placed over others. 
The inscription on it is as follows, viz: 

AUGUSTINE HERMAN, BOHEMIAN, 

THE FIRSF FOUNDER & 

SEATER OF BOHEMIA MANOR. 

ANNO. 1669. 

Herman was from Bohemia. He settled at New Castle. 
Prior to 1664, he had located in Maryland, and become 


51 


naturalized. To him the grant of Bohemia Manor was made* 
This manor consisted of 18,000 acres. 

Tradition says that he was once arrested and imprisoned 
by the Dutch in New York, and condemned to die. Shortly 
before the time of execution he seemed partially delirious, 
and requested that his favorite horse might be brought into 
his prison. It was a large building with huge windows and 
doors, and the windows were twenty feet from the ground. 
He mounted his horse caparisoned in his usual style and 
pranced about within the prison. Watching his opportunity, 
he leaped his horse from the window of the prison, swam 
the Hudson River, ran across the State of New Jersey, and 
dismounted on the bank of the Delaware opposite to New 
Castle, and thus made his escape. 

A painting, commemorative of this daring enterprize, 
destroyed in the old mansion when it was consumed by fire, 
represented him as standing by the side of his horse, still 
panting and ejecting blood from his nostrils. 

A copy of this painting, is said to be still in existence. 
The horse he never suffered to be used afterwards, and 
when he died, he caused him to be buried, and a tombstone 
to be erected over his grave. 

The Presbyterian church near Taylor’s Bridge, was pro¬ 
bably organized within this field. But when it was gathered, 
or who were its ministers, or what is its history, we can pro¬ 
bably never ascertain. While Dr. Read was Pastor of this 
people, he devoted some attention to that church. Its house 
of worship was standing in a decayed condition, and Mr. 
Burton preached in it occasionally, in 1809. No remnant 
of it, except the tombstones, now remains. 

The Presbyterian church in Port Penn was organized, 
July 16th, 1837, and its house of worship was erected in 
1835. A part of the members, who were originally organized 


52 


there as a church, were dismissed from this church for that 
purpose. Its Elders are Samuel Jefferson and William 
Cleaver, Jr., and it has hitherto been under the care of the 
Pastor of Drawyers. Eighteen members united in its or¬ 
ganization. Its prosperity has been very gradual. There 
are now 24 members. The lot on which its house of wor¬ 
ship is located, was deeded to John M. Woods, John H. 
Cannon and John Price, Trustees of the congregation, and 
was presented to the congregation by Mrs. Margaret Darrach. 

Whether St. Ann’s church, or Apoquinimy, as it was 
anciently called, was organized before this, or since, we are 
unable to decide. That people were sometimes visited by 
Rev. Mr. Sewell,, from Maryland, and also by the Rev. Mr. 
Crawford, who was appointed Missionary to Dover, in 1704. 
Prior to 1705, they had erected a house of worship. In 
1707, the Rev. Mr. Jenkins was located in that congregation. 
He was a devoted Minister, and soon gathered around him 
a promising church and congregation. But he died after a 
few years. After this, that people were visited by Rev. 
Messrs. Biorck, of the Swedes church on the Christina; 
Club, a Missionary,, and Ross of New Castle. Mr. Ross 
was the father of George Ross, one of the signers of the 
declaration of Independence, and Judge of the Court of Ad¬ 
miralty in Pennsylvania. The society in London for propo- 
gating the Gospel, then sent Rev. Mr. Merry to Apoquinimy, 
who soon returned to England. 

They then sent Rev. Mr. Campbell, who, afterwards set¬ 
tled at Brookhaven. After this, they sent Rev. Mr. Hackett. 
He was buried at New Castle in 1734. 

The inscription on his tombstone is so much, defaced by 
age, that it cannot be read. We have been able to.decipher 
but a part of it, viz : 


53 


“ Sub hoc cippo conduntur reliquae 

Reverendi Uri Gualteri Hackett qui- 

Missionary insignitus Pastorium Munus 

Apud Appoquenomen-Quinquenium- 

feliciter exereuit.” 

“ Under this monument are buried the remains of the Rev. 
Uri Walter Hackett, who as an accredited Missionary, dis¬ 
charged the pastoral office at Appoquenomen and Quinque¬ 
nium.” Quinquenium is supposed to he the original name 
of St. George’s, and of the Weldh congregation there. We 
infer this from the fact, that under Mr. Jenkins, this Welch 
church was united with Apoquinimy as a part of his charge, 
and probably the union continued under Mr. Hackett. 

In 1754, Rev. John Pugh was Missionary at St. Ann’s. 
To this church Queen Ann presented a covering for the 
communion-table with the initials of her name, viz: A. R. 
(Anna Regina,) upon it in silk embroidery. These letters 
presented by Royal hands to that church, I here exhibit 
before you. 

In 1754, Rev. Philip Reading was also a Missionary to 
that church. He died in 1778, aged 58 years. 

I am in possession, and now exhibit to you,' a certificate 
of marriage, bearing his signature, viz: “ These are to certify 
to whom it may concern, that on Monday the ninth day of 
December, in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven 
hundred and fifty-fbur, Mr. Benjamin Noxen, of New Castle 
County, on Delawar, and Miss Elizabeth Harrison Ward of 
Cecil County, in the Province of Maryland, were joined 
together in holy Matrimony; and that the said marriage was 
rightly and duly solemnized according to the Institution of 
the church of England. 

Given under my hand the day and year above written. 

Philip Reading, Missionary at Appoquiniminck. 




54 


The present house of worship was erected about the year 
1776. 

The Episcopal church at St. George’s, or Quinquenium, 
stood on the spot now occupied by the lime-kiln. When it 
was founded we are unable to decide. The congregation 
were Welch. 

Rev. Evan Evans, in a letter dated in London in 1707, 
says, “ there is a Welsh settlement between Apoquinimy and 
New Castle, to which the Rev. Mr. George Ross has 
preached frequently in the English tongue since his arrival; 
but that gentleman not understanding their native language, 
is not so capable to answer the end as the Rev. Mr. Jenkins 
would be, who is going missionary to Apoquinimy, who has 
a competent knowledge of the Welsh tongue.” No other 
Episcopal church is known to have existed between St. Ann’s 
and New Castle. Of course, this church had existence 
prior to 1707., Twenty-five acres of land were given to it 
by Pemu 

Mr. Evans adds: “ there is a large fine structure built for 
divine service at New Castle,, finished within and without. 
Their Minister is Rev. George Ross.”' ( Episcopal Maga¬ 
zine , vol. i. p. 18.) 

Three Methodist churches have been gathered within the 
field of this congregation. One of these is the Asbury 
chapel, on Pearce’s Run, anciently called Canoe Branch, 
another at Cantwell’s Bridge, and a third at Middletown. 

It is a fact which ought not to be forgotten, that the origi¬ 
nal settlement at Cape May was made by a colony, who 
located there for the purpose of catching whales in the Dela¬ 
ware, The first Dutch settlement was made in Sussex 
County, under the direction of David Pieterson De Vries, 
in 1630, “ for the purpose of cultivating grain and tobacco, 
and to establish a Jf hale and Seal fishery ” 


55 


Originally the quit rents of the lands were paid to the 
proprietors in grain and tobacco. To the culture of tobacco 
undoubtedly, the exhaustion of the soil of Delaware may be 
attributed. 

Nor should it be forgotten, by those who enjoy the im¬ 
provements of the present day, that some of your ancestors 
here, were accustomed to grind their grain in mills turned 
by the hand. Those of you who have curiosity enough to 
examine, will find one of these stones lying at the West door 
of Mr. James Houston’s house, and another on Mr. Charles 
Haughey’s place. 

The recollection that your ancestors endured all the hard¬ 
ships of removing the forests from these lands; that they 
could grind their grain with their own hands, and having no 
carriages, nor even waggons, could ride on horseback, or 
walk to the house of God on the Sabbath in such numbers 
that it became necessary, time after time, to enlarge the place 
of worship, is adapted strongly to rebuke the indolent habits 
of the present generation, in reference to public worship. 
This house, in the time of Dr. Read’s Ministry, was filled to 
overflowings and the- Forest, and St. George’s churches 
could not contain the people who resorted thither. 

It may not be improper to subjoin here some notices of 
the early inhabitants of this vicinity. 

In 1696, Hans Hanson was a member of the Court of 
Quarter Sessions. 

In 1697, Thomas Rothwell bought the farm on which 
Mrs. Boyd now resides. This farm he sold in 1715 to 
Rev. Robert Wotherspoon, then minister of this congregation, 
and bought “ Mayfield” probably where William Roth¬ 
well now resides, in 1740. Rev. Timothy Griffith resided 
and died on Mrs. Boyd’s farm, but where he preached is 
unknown. 


56 


In 1718, John Peterson, Tsaac Vigorue, Elias Naudain, 
and Thomas Hyatt, all members of this congregation, were 
on the grand inquest, and Hans Hanson, a member of the 
Court of Quarter Sessions. 

1719, Garret Dushane, Valentine Dushane, Francis King, 
and Thomas Rothwell were on the grand inquest; and An¬ 
drew Peterson, a member of this congregation, was a mem¬ 
ber of the General Court. 

1717, Jacob King was constable of St. George’s Hun¬ 
dred, and John Peterson was on the grand inquest. Both 
of these belonged to this congregation. 

1718, Andrew Vandyke, a member of this church, was 
constable, and also John McCool. Francis King, an eider of 
this church, was a juror in 1719.. 

Samuel Vance was here in 1717. Daniel Cbrbit in 1718, 
Isaac Vandyke in 1720. Samuel Young bought Mr. Bar¬ 
ney’s farm in 1720. Christopher and John Wilson and Ed¬ 
ward Jones in 1720* The Skare family were here in 1720. 

Abraham Golden, Senr., was constable in 1721. Charles 
Robinson, John Golden, Thos. Hyatt, Geffrey Martin, Wm. 
Whittit, Alexander Moody, William Robinson* and Thos. 
Williams were all here in 1721. 

Thomas Janvier, the ancestor of the families of this name 
in this country, was a Huguenot, and was in this county 
prior to 1719. 

Elias Walraven settled in Apoquinimy Hundred, and died 
previous to 1745, leaving four children, John, Elias, Su¬ 
sannah Barnet, and Elizabeth Sigmund. This was the an¬ 
cestor of the Walravens, who have been connected with this 
congregation. 

Isaac Gooding, one of the proprietors of land in Long 
Neck, was a member of the. legislature from the territories 


57 


in 1704. Long Neck is the region around Geo. Vande- 
grift’s farm. 

Few of the sons of this congregation have received a 
liberal education. Yet within this field, some have arisen 
who have been placed high in office. 

Nicholas Vandyke, Esq., Governor of Delaware in 1783, 
was born in this congregation in 1740, and died in 1789.— 
He was one of the signers of the Confederation of the 
States. 

Hon. Nicholas Vandyke, son of Gov. Vandyke, was bom 
at “ Berwick,” in Dutch Neck, in 1770. He graduated at 
Princeton college, and was admitted to the bar, and soon 
acquired an enviable reputation as a lawyer, and a man of 
strict integrity. In 1799, he was elected to the Legislature 
of Delaware, and to the House of Representatives of the 
United States in 1809. In 1815, he was elected a mem¬ 
ber of the Senate of the United States, in which he conti¬ 
nued till his death, in 1826. 

Henry Vandyke, son of Gov. Vandyke, was also born 
at Berwick, and was a Lieutenant in the Navy. He fell in 
a duel, and was buried at Gibraltar. Gov. Vandyke’s family 
attended the church at St. George’s, and also at Drawyers. 

Rev. James McCoy was raised on Skee Merritt’s farm, 
within the bounds of this congregation, and graduated at 
Princeton in 1785. His father was a contributor to this 
church. He taught in the academy and preached to the 
congregation in Church Hill, Queen Ann’s county, Mary¬ 
land, and was elected professor of languages in Princeton 
college. This appointment he declined, and died at an 
early age. He is said to have been an elegant scholar. 

Hon. Arnold Naudain, though a native of Kent county, 
resided here, and while a member of this church, was elect¬ 
ed to the United States Senate. He was a graduate of 


53 


Princeton college, and physician. His ancestors have been 
connected with this church since 1717. 

Col. Thomas McDonough was a physician. He held a 
major’s commission in the army, in the American Revolu¬ 
tion, but soon returned to his medical profession. At the 
close of the war, he was appointed judge of the court, and 
continued in this office till his death, in 1795. He was bu¬ 
ried on the farm of Mr. John Janvier, at the Trap, where he 
also lived. 

Commodore Thomas McDonough, son of Major McDo¬ 
nough, was born near the Trap. His name will long be 
cherished by bis countrymen, as the hero of Champlain, 
immortalized by the capture of the entire British fleet on 
that lake, in 1814,—the second event of the kind, record¬ 
ed in history.—The McDonoughs generally attended the 
Episcopal church. 

James McDonough, also a son of Major McDonough, was 
a midshipman in the Navy under Commodore Truxton. In 
the action which resulted in the capture of the frigate L’ln- 
surgent, he was wounded, and suffered the amputation of a 
leg. He soon after left the Navy 

William C. Frazer was the son of a member of this 
church, and a trustee of this congregation. He graduated 
at Princeton college in 1797, and was afterwards Judge of 
the District Court of the United States in Wisconsin, where 
he recently died. 

Robert Haughey was a member of the convention which 
adopted the constitution of Delaware. 

Rev. George Janvier, Pastor of the Presbyterian church 
in Pittsgrove, New Jersey, was the son of an elder of this 
church. 

Dr. Thomas Boyd, a surgeon in the United States Navy, 
was the son of an elder of this church, and grandson of one 


59 


of its pastors. He was eminent in his profession, and died 
much lamented by the officers in the Navy. 

Dr. James S. Naudain, a practitioner of medicine and a 
member of this church, was graduated at the Military Aca¬ 
demy at West Point. 

John Janvier. Jr., now a member of the Theological Se¬ 
minary at Princeton, graduated at Princeton in 1840. 

This congregation also furnished its portion of talent and 
of effort in securing our Independence. 

Col. Henry Foster had a commission in the army. His 
wife was Rachel Vandyke. He was a contributor to the 
building of this house. He resided in Port Penn, in the 
house now occupied by William Cleaver, Senr., which is said 
to have been built by Count Pulaski. 

Capt. Smith also held a commission in the army. He 
lived on the farm now owned by John Dale. John Vance 
Hyatt also held a Lieutenant’s commission. He was after¬ 
wards an elder of this church. 

He was captured by the British on his father’s farm, 
now in the possession of Jacob Vandegrift, Jr., and car¬ 
ried to New York. While a prisoner, he was kept on Long 
Island, and was accustomed to do various kinds of labor to 
supply himself with pocket money. H^fJ&fcchased a suit 
of small clothes of white cassimere, which, though no tail- l 
or, he cut and made himself. At his death in 1806, he was ' 
laid out in that very suit which he had thus made. He was 
a magistrate in 1785 and 1786. 

Lieutenant Richard Wilds, resided ih the brick-house 
now owned by Mrs. Darrach, in Port Penn. He was 
wounded in the battle of Germantown, in October, 1777, 
and was carried home on a litter. He died in Port Penn, 
in 1786, in consequence of the wound which he had re¬ 
ceived. He was buried in St. George’s church-yard. 


60 


fctAA* 


Captain Kirkwood was a veteran of the Revolution. He 
early entered the service, and remained in it till the close 
of the war. The Delaware regiment was raised, and mus¬ 
tered at Dover before the Declaration of bidependence was 
made , and was put under the command of Col. Haslet. In 
this regiment, Kirkwood held a Captain’s commission. 
Within three weeks after the declaration, this Regiment was 
in the battle at Trenton, on the 25th December, 1776. 
January 3d, 1777, they were in the battle at Princeton, 
where Haslet was killed. 

The command of the Delaware Regiment, then devolved 
on Lieutenant-Colonel Vaughan. On the 11th of Septem¬ 
ber, 1777, the Delaware troops were engaged in the disas¬ 
trous battle of Brandywine, and in October following, in the 
battle of Germantown. In 1778 and 1779, they were actively 
engaged in the middle states. In 1780, they were ordered to 
Charleston. In the battle at Camden, they were in the 
front division, under the command of Baron DeKalb. The 
Marylanders and the Delaware regiment, maintained their 
position with noble intrepidity until the retreat was ordered, 
undismayed by the conduct of the panick-stricken militia of 
Virginia, and North Carolina. Col. Vaughan, and Major 
Patton were Jg||0, and the Delaware regiment reduced to 
less than two companies. This shattered remnant was put 
under the command of Captain Kirkwood, who commanded 
it till the close of the war. He was also in the battle at 
Guilford Court House, at Waxhaw, and also at the Fort of 
“ Ninety Six.” Wherever dangers thickened, or bravery 
invincible was demanded, there Kirkwood and his Delawares 
were always stationed. At the battle of Monmouth, Capt. 
Wm. Clark, father of the late Governor Clark, commanded 
a company of 75 men, raised principally between Smyrna 



61 


and Cantwell’s Bridge. At the close of the battle, 45 of 
these brave men were among the slain. 

Captain Clark resided in Apoquinimy hundred, and was 
the great grand-father of Mrs. A. Snow Naudain, and 
Mrs. Anthony Higgins. 

Kirkwood was engaged in thirty-two battles during the 
Revolution. At the close of the war, he returned and 
established himself in mercantile business, at Cantwell’s 
Bridge, and occupied the house now standing east of the old 
Tavern House. In 1785, he removed and established a 
store at St. George’s. Afterwards, he removed his family 
to Ohio. When the army was organized under General St. 
Clair, to march against the North western Indians, he 
volunteered his services, and Gen. Washington gave him a 
Captain’s commission, expressing at the same time his regret 
that he could not promote him, because all the higher offices 
were already filled. 

The army marched to Ohio, and cut their way through 
the swamps and woods along the course of the great Miami. 
They encamped at Ludlow’s Station for two weeks. This 
station is six miles from Cincinnati. There was a tree on 
that spot, with the fact and date of this encampment carved 
on the bark, which the writer saw standing in 1837. After 
marching ninety-eight miles into the wilderness, they were 
attacked on the morning of the 4th of November, 179 J, by 
the Indians, and that dreadful battle, which resulted in St. 
Clair’s defeat, was fought. Of the distressing scenes in 
this defeat, Lieutenant Michael McDonough in an original 
letter now before me says, “ We left every thing behind ; 
eight pieces of cannon, cattle, horses, flour, officers and 
soldiers, baggage, officers’ private property in cash, supposed 
to be ten thousand pounds, besides all their clothing. We 
retreated day and night for this place, without provision, 

6 


62 


which is ninety-eight miles, and arrived at this place on the 
8th instant. The number of non-commissioned officers, 
musicians, and privates that fell in the field is upwards of six 
hundred. More than sixty women were killed, and I saw 
some of them cut in two, their breasts cut off and burning, 
with a number of officers, on our own fires, before I left the 

field of action. I saw Captain Smith sitting-just after he 

was scalped, his head smoking like a chimney. Some 
soldiers have come in with all the skin and hair taken clean 
off their heads.” The regiment to which Kirkwood and 
McDonough belonged, consisted of two hundred and fifty- 
eight commissioned, non-commissioned officers, and privates, 
one hundred and eleven only of whom were left after the 
battle, and forty-two of these were wounded. But two offi¬ 
cers, McDonough and Bissell, survived. “ Out of 1,200, 
near 800 officers, men, and women were killed and wound¬ 
ed.” In this terrible battle Kirkwood fell. This was the 
thirty-third , in which he was engaged. Yet from the or¬ 
ganization of the army, he could not be promoted, because 
he had the remnant of the entire regiment under his com¬ 
mand. He lived and died the brave, unrewarded Captain 
Kirkwood. Lieutenant Michael McDonough, was born in 
St. George’s Hundred. 

Mrs. Read of Port Penn, now ninety-two years old, re¬ 
sides in the house which she occupied in 1776. Through 
her house the British ship Roe-buck threw a twelve 
pound ball, which passed through the chimney. The ball 
is still in her possession. Her first husband, Dr. Stanley, 
was a surgeon in the army, and brother to Mrs. Dr. Read, 
and to the wife of Gov. Vandyke. 

Commodore Thomas Brown,was a son of Alex. Brown, 
and nephew of Andrew Brown, who was one of the build¬ 
ing committee of this church. He was born in the stone 
house, at Cantwell’s Bridge, was great grandson of Peter 



63 


Chevalier, who was a Huguenot, and a nephew of Dr. 

Read, pastor of this church. He was early in the service 
of his country. He was at the siege of Tripoli, where 
he was wounded; was a Lieutenant, and commanded the 
Gov. Tompkins, and afterwards the Oneida, in the fleet un¬ 
der Com. Chauncey, on Lake Ontario, during the late 
war; and made a Post Captain at the close of the war. 

He was left in command of the fleet in the Mediterranean, 

The last time he wore his uniform was in New York, as 
pall bearer at the interment of Commodore McDonough,* 
w T ho was born about two miles distant from the birth-place of 
Commodore Brown. 

William McKennan, a trustee of this congregation in 
1790, held a Captain’s commission in the Delaware regi- 
gent. From Kirkwood’s letter to his father, it appears that 
Capt. McKennan, was with Kirkwood and the Delaware regi¬ 
ment, in New Jersey, in 1777. 

His wife was Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of John 
Thompson, Esq., of New Castle, first Judge of the Court 
of Common Pleas. Judge Thompson married a sister of / 
Gov. McKean, of Pennsylvania. 4 - '•* 

Thomas McKean McKennan, son of Capt. Wm. McKen- 4 ,j 
nan, formerly a representative in Congress, and recently ■ 
elected again to the same office, was born on the farm now f 
owned by Lewis Vandegrift. * 

Rev. James McKennan, son of Capt. McKennan, is also* 
supposed to have been born on the same spot. Thomas B. 
McKean, a merchant, of Bordentown, New Jersey, was a 
son of William McKean, and born in this vicinity. 

John McKinley, Esq., Governor of Delaware, who was 
captured by the British, in his own house, in Wilmington, in 

* I have lately conversed with the Chaplain of the United States 
Navy, who attended Commodore McDonough in his last moments, who 
assured me that he died a Christian. 


64 


1777, is believed to have been the son of an elder of this 
church. He seems to have been connected with the McKen- 
nan family, as he willed property to Rev. William McKen- 
nan, who occasionally supplied this congregation. 

The name of Thomas McKean, Esq., Governor of Penn¬ 
sylvania, is found on our records, in the year 1772. Whe¬ 
ther he resided here in that year, it is impossible to decide. 
He was connected with many of the families in this congre¬ 
gation, and he also owned land in the vicinity of Cantwell’s 
Bridge. He was one of the committee to collect the sub¬ 
scription for the erection of this house of worship. He 
was the son of William McKean, of New London Cross 
Roads, who removed from Pennsylvania after the death of 
his wife, in 1742, and resided in the family of Mr. Samuel 
Young, who owned the farm on which Mr. Barney now re¬ 
sides.' He died in 1769, and was buried at New London 
Cross Roads. 

William McKean, the brother of Governor McKean, re¬ 
sided here. He married Mrs. O’Hara. 

► Mary O’Hara, a daughter of Mrs. O’Hara, married Capt. 
Wm. Frazer, and lies in the family burying-place at the north 
east corner of this house. She was the step-mother of 
Judge Frazer, and the mother of Mrs. Wilson, wife of Rev. 
James P. Wilson, of Neshamony, Pennsylvania, who is 
said to have been exceedingly intelligent, beautiful and lovely. 

Laetitia McKean, daughter of William McKean, married 
Rev. John Thompson, son of Judge Thompson, who died 
in New Castle, at the age of 27. She afterwards married 
a Mr. Clark, a limner, and lived on the farm of Robert 
Cochran. Thomas McKean Thompson, a nephew of Gov. 
McKean, and of William McKean, was Secretary of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and now resides in Gran¬ 
ville, Ohio. 

The ancient field of this congregation, however, is not 


65 


entitled to claim all the heroes and worthies of this region. 
Commodore Porter was educated in this State. His fa¬ 
ther’s residence was near Pencader, a few miles beyond 
the boundaries of this congregation. He was born in Bos¬ 
ton, while his mother was in that city on a visit to his father, 
Capt. Porter, who had entered that port on his return from 
a cruise on the ocean. 

Commodore Jacob Jones, was born at Smyrna, a, few 
miles below the southern boundary of this congregation.—r 
No State in the Union has produced as many eminent pa¬ 
triots and statesmen, in proportion to its population, as Dela¬ 
ware; and a large proportion of its clergymen have risen 
to eminence. Delaware furnished 5000 officers and soldiers 
during the American Revolution, of whom but one out of a 
hundred ever returned.— “The Blue> Hen’s Chickens,” 
as the Delaware regiment were called, bravely met danger 
and death, in defence of their country. 

During the administration of Andrew Jackson, five of the 
sons of Delaware were foreign ministers, viz : McLane, 
Moore, E. P. West, J. Ham, and Commodore Porter, the 
latter of whom, is still minister to Constantinople. 

During the winter past, God has poured his spirit on this 
congregation, and led some to hope that they have been re¬ 
conciled to him. Twelve of these have already united 
with this church. 

The number of communicants now in this church is 
eighty-two. May it be our constant prayer that this an¬ 
cient congregation may enjoy the favor of God, and that this 
field may blossom as the rose, and flourish as the cedars of 
Lebanon. 

It was my original design to trace out the location of the 
families belonging to this congregation, with the entire gene¬ 
alogy of this people. But the changes which have occurred 


66 


and the imperfection of the records, render it impracticable. 
Many families of substantial worth in every community hold 
no real estate, and the records of the county afford us no 
notice of such. I have done what I could, to embody and 
preserve your history. 

From this review of the history of this congregation, it 
is manifest that great changes have occurred. The forests 
have disappeared; the wildness of an unsubdued country 
no longer meets the eye; but fields clothed with beauty un¬ 
surpassed by any portion of country, surround you. The 
spirit of improvement has gathered around you the institu¬ 
tions and comforts and even the luxuries of society. The 
waves of intemperance, which had swept over this region, 
withering as the gales of the desert, have almost ceased to 
flow, and the spirit of industry is rapidly making it the very 
garden of America. 

We also find that many families have abandoned the 
sanctuary, the institutions and the faith of their forefathers, 
and even the principles of the Reformation, on which the 
liberties of our country and the world are based. Did time 
permit, we might show that the principles embraced by this 
church, in common with others, then on this field, have led 
their sons to endure toil and privation, and even to shed 
their blood in defence of our liberties, and in the establish¬ 
ment of our independence, while in another quarter the cause 
of liberty was basely deserted. 

Would those whose views and sympathies are with this 
congregation, make it a matter of conscience to be found in 
their place in the Sanctuary on the Sabbath-day, the former 
prosperity of this congregation in its best days would be 
realized in a solitary month. 

To God, and to society around shall we be held respon¬ 
sible, if we neglect to do this. 


67 


How solemn and affecting the lesson which these limited 
details of your history afford! How much effort has been 
made, and how many toils and trials have been endured in 
order to perpetuate the church of God with its privileges on 
this spot! And how will those fathers who bequeathed to us 
this edifice, these funds, and these fields cry out against us 
at the final day, if we fail to improve the means of life 
afforded us? As you look back and see how death has tra¬ 
versed this field and consigned its former inhabitants to the 
silent tomb: as. you see how the grave has spread the waves 
of oblivion over their memory and their very names, how 
worthless does this world appear ! You may live now in ease 
and in pleasure. You may gratify your love of wealth, of 
equipage, and your pride, for a short period. But ah! 
how silent and unknown hereafter. 

In making these investigations, I had occasion to visit the 
grave of a former Governor of this State. The family 
grave-yard lay unenclosed in the field, and overgrown with 
briars. The tombstone erected by a surviving daughter as 
a token of affectionate remembrance of her father, the 
governor of this State, of her mother, and of a brother who 
died far hence a Lieutenant in the Navy, had fallen from 
the mouldered pillars of masonry on which it rested. I in¬ 
quired of the occupant of the spot whether there was any 
other burying-place in the vicinity. He told me that in dig¬ 
ging to set posts in his barn-yard a few rods distant from the 
family ground above described, he discovered human bones. 
This, ah this, is the end of man’s career! His possessions 
will pass to others. His pride will be extinguished ; his 
equipage will all vanish away; his very name will perish; and 
the brambles will flourish, and the reptiles will crawl over 
him; the oxen of the stall will feed and lie down upon his 
grave, and will know just as much of his history, after a few 


68 

years are gone, as the living of the human family to which he 
belonged. 

I visited the site of an ancient church in this vicinity for a 
similar purpose. Not a stone, nor mound remained. The 
living had removed the earth from a portion of the grave¬ 
yard. Glowing lime kilns stand where once the afflicted 
father, the heart-broken mother, the affectionate child, com¬ 
mitted their dead to the dust, as a sure retreat from the mo¬ 
lestations of earth. I lingered on this field of desolation in 
search of some memorial of the dead. At length I discovered 
a skull, and other bones which had fallen from their resting 
place; while from the earth above me a bone here protruded 
from its grave, and another there. 

Ah! this is all for which man can hope: the grave, the 
coffin, and the winding-sheet, while those who succeed you 
plow your bones from your graves, and leave them to bleach 
amidst the heat and storms of heaven. Oh ! if there is not 
an hereafter, then men' were made in vain. “ Like brutes 
they live: like brutes they die.” 

While, therefore, God permits us to enjoy this sanctuary 
and its privileges, let us remember that, 

“ Man wants but little here below, 

Nor wants that little long,” 

and strive to improve the privileges allotted us, in such a 
manner, that whether our names be blazoned on the historic 
page, or carved on the marble, or utterly perish, our influ¬ 
ence may long survive us, and our record may be on high: 
and that when the great arbiter of human affairs shall come, 
we may hear him say to us, “ come ye blessed of my Father, 
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of 
the world.” 























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